A Knight of Earth and Sky
by SIMIOCAOS
Summary: Title one: The foreigners. Tarak is a strange pony with no cutie mark or memories other than his name. This shouldn't be a very strange thing, though... except for the fact that he fell from the stars. Read as this valiant stranger has adventures in Equestria. Slight AU/OC's and non-alicorn twilight. Enjoy. Sincerely: SIMIO
1. Fallen star

**Ok, this is my first attempt on a fanfic in english, since its not my mother language, so forgive me if my diction is not very consistent at times. Also feel free to point spelling mistakes (by PM please so I can work on them) and if some words don't make sense is mostly because the correction of my note block always change them into other things, sometimes without me noticing. Knowing all this, I leave you to proceed.**

**Please, enjoy.**

**Sincerely: SIMIO**

* * *

It started a night like, and unlike any other over the skies of Equestria. A great meteor shower was down from the heights, and eyes weren't missing to gaze into the lights, descending and getting lost beyond the horizon. After all, this happens only once a hundred years, so it wasn't a spectacle to be miss.

The hour of when it began is still missing, but for now lets focus on the spectators. In open ground lied thousands of ponies that got there to watch the event of the century. All of them equally impressed, all of them equally ignorant… There were our six unmistakable protagonists, amazingly staring at the sky, and their favorite dragon too, but this time we'll not begin with them for now, since this story takes place in other circumstances.

* * *

Hard Labour was a stallion with brown maine and grey coat, somewhat neglected at some points. He had the strong body build of an earth pony, and a decorative crupper at his flank that hid his cutie mark. He was the young founder of a family with a farm at the many edges of the Everfree Forest, which was also the reason why he had brought them to some sort of "exclusive seat" to watch the spectacle that was unfolding up in the night sky.

Next to him was his wife, Medtreat, a beautiful mare with a red maine that had a delightfully bright blue coat and braided tail. She was almost like her daughter in appeal, but the little Snap had the eyes of her dad, and, most of the time, his energy when it came of any task she would be charged with. They were indeed a happy new family that to the moment didn't knew their lives were about to change from that night over...

As if a sign were given at the heights, lights started to roam the sky. Hard Labour had took the precaution to borrow a fellow's telescope for the event, so as soon as the first strings of white appeared, Med and her daughter ran into the length to sneak a pic on the shower while the proud father just stared at the endless night sky as it was bursting into bright movement.

"Hey dad, it's amazing!" exclaimed little Snap as she watched into the sight "Its like if they're really alive!"

"I know, right?" Hard Labour nodded. "Remember this moment, cause it'll last forever" he muttered.

"Well, who's getting a little emotional here?" asked Med playfully.

"Ah, no, it's just what my father used to say all the time, that's all... You know, back when I was a colt"

"A beautiful, beautiful colt" she grinned as she lied beside him. "You miss him, don't you?"

"Now who's getting emotional" he replied with a light smile, then rolled to turn away, changing his mood. "We came back, and alive to tell the tale, that's all I wanna know. Although, we could just move on with our lives... at the end I think I'm the one that got the best part"

"The best part?"

Hard Labour turned again to face her. "Because I lived, and I built our dream. Now at last we have something to hang on to and that won't put our lives in danger, and I'm intended to keep it that way"

Med, hearing this, just wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

"We will" she completed, then rose up again as her husband lied back in the grass.

"As you said, this moment can last forever, but we should be inside for it to count, don't you think?"

"I'll just lie here for a little while" he yawned from his position "Don't worry I'll be there in no time"

Med just smiled as she got on her way. "Rest well, my love" she muttered as she headed back to her daughter.

Hard Labour heard it. He closed his eyes as a slight peaceful smile ran across his face. Yes, it was a good time they were having… No noise reached his ears but the occasional astonished gasps of his family. It was so peaceful that he didn't know when did he fall asleep.

* * *

Hard Labour woke up again. It was still night, but something was different. How many time did he slept? He couldn't tell, as well as what wasn't the same in the scenery. It took a few seconds for him to acknowledge what was going on: the sky lights had turned red.

"Daddy, what is happening?" Snap as she ran into his lap. A scared accent was marked in every word she spoke.

Hard Labour looked at his wife, Med had the same expression that his daughter, but in her case her eyes were placed immovably at the sky. Hard Labour looked upstairs, not sure what was he going to find, and when he gazed at the heights the feeling of uncertainty wasn't clearly disappointed.

In the whole night, at plain sight, the sky had suddenly turned into a scene of chaos as red shines roamed between the stars, creating mayhem at midst the white lights. The full scenery didn't make any sense. The white lights were dodging the red ones, or fleeing from their presence as much as possible. But that wasn't even possible! Wasn't supposed that comets were lifeless rocks from space? Well, apparently the one who said that never sat to contemplate this awkward view.

The red lights didn't seem so chaotic in their movements. Hard Labour didn't noticed at first, but the formation the reds were performing resembled him very much to the timberwolf's hunting tactic. The whites were trying to remain together, but it didn't prevented their foes from lurking a couple of times a single white from the pack and then ferociously attack it until its bright was extinguished.

There was like sixteen or fifteen reds, and a whole torrent of white, but still the whites were pawned to run away whenever they got too close to the others, and, after a couple of whites being pinned down, with a good reason.

"Dad, what are dose?" asked Snap again.

"I don't know" Labour muttered as he stared into the sky. Then he suddenly turned to Med. "Don't you think we should get to cover?"

Med didn't say anything, but nodded slightly as a sign of supporting. She was lost in the hypnotic world of movement that the sky had suddenly become.

"Very well" continued Hard Labour as he turned to his daughter. "Snap, get in the house. I'll be there soon"

Snap nodded as she disappeared down the road they first followed. Labour then got to Med and shook her off her state. Med turned to him as if she had being pushed out of a trance. Labour just nodded to where his daughter had gone moments ago, not having to speak to make himself clear. Med showed agreement and both started to move along the way towards home.

The way back was well illuminated by the dancing lights upwards, and the general fray in the night sky wasn't getting any better. The couple of ponies were half way when Med briefly glared at the sky once again, and what she saw made her scream in surprise.

"Labour! Up! Look!" she called as she stopped galloping.

Hard Labour stared up again to witness as a completely different kind of lights appeared in the sky. They were whites, but, unlike the others, were moving in formation towards the reds, describing a completely horizontal movement in the sky.

Hard Labour rubbed his eyes at the view just to make sure this time he wan't dreaming, because that was it; now any doubt that those things weren't alive was dissipated. Hard Labour watched as the new whites split their formation in a perfect harmony of movements. One half turned to pursue the reds, and the other started to lure away the torrent of white away from the scene, much like a shepherd would do with his herd.

The reds, finding themselves outnumbered, started to flee and dodge the white counterattack. Occasionally one or two of them tried to break through the guard of the first withe group, but the other brights that were defending repealed them with powerful strikes, or sometimes hit them so hard that extinguished their bright.

Hard Labour couldn't believe what was he witnessing. Never, nor in his wildest dreams, he thought that he'd watch something as astonishing as that battle. That night was sure to be told for hundreds of years… If somepony else would be seeing it as well.

The reds suddenly changed their tactics to a more defensive mood as the whites started to beat them with no quarter. Most of the white torrent had already left the battlefield at the time, disappearing beyond the horizon or into the deep black of the sky, but still the second group of whites was trying to gather all the stragglers that were left behind.

"Seems its about to end" Med muttered.

"Yes, But we better don't push our luck anyway" stated Labour as he drove her away from the sight.

Med still didn't take out her eyes from the scenery. Apparently she was the only one delighted with the outgoing battle in the sky.

"Wait!" she exclaimed again. "Look, over there!" she pointed out where a single white was flying erratically, driven away by all the confusion.

The reds were having the heck of a trouble with their enemies when they seemed to spot the astray light. Instantly they changed again their tactics, as a numerous part of their group spread to drive away the whites in pursue and a single cell chased after the lone bright.

The single white didn't seem to notice its attackers until it was already too late. When it spot them, it tried to escape, but it was too far away from the main group in order to successfully flee them. The reds harassed their prey rather than just extinguishing it and avoided it to reach the others in any way possible. When they ensured it wouldn't return to the main group, the reds started to openly attack it. The whites that were shepherding the rest seemed to notice their companion in trouble, but didn't left their posts. The lone white was doomed.

Tension rose up in the watchers as they witness how the single white tried to avoid its attackers, but were unable to dodge them completely. Even Labour found himself breathing excitedly as he looked at the night sky. It seemed all hope was lost for it until, indadvertedly, another bright broke through the reds siege and started to fight them off.

The intromission nearly caused the two watchers to cheer in joy, but the battle wasn't over yet. The interruption allowed the first bright to escape and return with the whites guarding the others, but the other one found itself cut off from any help. The reds then immediately begun their retaliation, but this white was tougher than the other, and started to fight back.

The whites that were driven away, in the precise moment they realized the con, abandoned the decoy and rushed to help the single one in trouble. Their counterattack formation made them look as a small rain of light hovering over the single group of reds. The reds noticed the incoming punishment, but instead of running, they pressed on in their attacks. The white fought them off the best way one can stand against five, but still too many strikes were hitting it. The rest of the white force was closing in rapidly, so the lone bright would have to hold just a little longer…

Just moments before the counterattack could reach the harassment group, one of the reds got the white stuck in combat as if they reached a deadlock. The white got itself involved in the struggle but it didn't noticed the trap it had just fall into. While both contenders were trying to overpower the other, another red turned out and started to describe a circle around the pair's struggle, aiming directly for the white's rearguard. The white group saw this, and rushed even faster to aid their companion in need. They were almost over the reds when the pincer movement completed.

With a blinding explosion of light, the second red stroke the locked white in the back just a second before the white charge reached their position and started to take reprisals on the whole red group. The single white didn't extinguished though, but it began to glow brighter and brighter. The two spectators witnessed completely baffled as the white started to grow bigger. Almost as if it were actually...

"Get down!" Hard Labour shouted as he drove Med out of the way of the falling star.

The bright past them nearly twenty meters from the ground, rising a curtain of dust with the wind that was carrying. The sphere of light headed straight to the farm, but amazingly missed it as it rose a trail of dust and whatever its impulse could carry along. Miraculously, it overflew over the whole property without touching it and crashed in the very limits of the Everfree forest, drawing a line of pure devastation beneath its path.

The bright destroyed everything it made contact with. Whole trees and giant rocks were turned apart as if they were nothing against the unrelenting push of the star's mass. The sound of a thousand thunders filled the air, and hundreds of bird flocks rose to the night, wildly screaming in terror. Timberwolves started to howl, as all the creatures known and unknown in the depths of the forest suddenly bursted into life, starting to snarl and moan in a complete mayhem of sound.

Hard Labour and Medtreat rose up in midst of all the wreckage and shared a quick view of one another to see if they were okay, then both turned to the trail of destruction that the comet had left behind. A big ditch in the ground was made in the point where it had touched the ground, and white fires spread all over the ground served as a faint lighting for all what was left around in the place. A great column of smoke was rising from where surely lied the object at issue.

Hard Labour's first impulse was to get away from there as fast and far as possible. Nothing with that destruction capacities should be meant for two simple ponies to examine. What if it was toxic, or worse, could be still alive and didn't happen to be in the better of moods because of its downfall? Ideas about what should be at the end of the path that it had opened filled his head, but he quickly dismissed them. He was in no position to assume what could it be, and certainly wouldn't allow it to lie even near his lands and family if it were a threat to their security.

He looked again to med, implying what he wanted to do. His wife thought about it for a second, and seemed to reach the same conclusions as him, so, with a light nod, they implicitly agreed to star the quest.

* * *

The Everfree forest had gone crazy over the crash, but it only lasted for a few minutes. The sound of waked creatures slowly faded as the couple of ponies followed the path that the star had opened in the brushwood. Strangely, the white fire was still brighting, not have growing or decreasing, just maintaining its shape and bringing illumination to the scene. The column of smoke was still at sight, lightened by a white radiance that was coming from its source.

Hard Labour shivered with the cold of the atmosphere. Strange forms danced in the night around them, partially distorted by the twinkling light. Med didn't seem to have the same problem. The trace of destruction that the fallen star had opened extended for at least a mile, and they were now over half way. Labour thought as he walked that in any other circumstances he wouldn't make it so deep inside the forest…

"Wait!" Med suddenly exclaimed. Hard Labour stopped, and was going to ask, but his wife spoke again. "Over there" she pointed.

Up the way, the ditch ended in a great crater that was still expelling whitened smoke. Nature around had been torn apart by the impact, and only debris surrounded the place. The two ponies were about to continue their way when suddenly another voice broke in.

"So, there's where it landed?" asked Snap out of nowhere.

The two ponies jumped and shouted in surprise, but soon, as the tension disappeared, they recovered from the initial shock.

"Didn't I told you to stay home?" asked Hard Labour, upset.

"Well, I was on my way, when this happened" replied the filly covering the whole scene. "I wasn't going to miss this, I mean, doesn't it happens only once a hundred years?"

"But this is different! Now, get home. We'll handle this"

"But dad…!"

"No 'but' here, just go"

"Dear…" stepped Med. "Let her come"

"What?" asked Labour surprised "This is no place for children, it could be dangerous!"

"As dangerous as crossing the forest at night" she raised her eyebrows.

Labour tried to reply, but the comment had more sense than his answer.

"Okay" he agreed. "You can come along"

Snap exclaimed with joy.

"BUT you gotta promise that you'll run at the first sign of danger" he interrupted.

"I promise!" she said happily.

"Fine" sighed his father. "Now lets keep going if we wanna find out what's happening here…"

And so they continued to head for the impact site. Again, tension found its way to rise up as the three ponies closed up to the place. Whatever was inside the hole in the ground was starting to have a strange effect in the surroundings. Every step they gave was preceded by a stressful silence, and even when they found themselves in the very edge of the crater, their simple breathing was noisier.

Three pairs of eyes peeked over the edge of the crater. The smoke was still very thick from where it was coming from, so nothing could be seen from there. Hard Labour narrowed his eyes in order to get a better view, but the white curtain was impassable. He would have to come down the slope if he'd want to have a better sight at whatever could lie down there.

"I'm going in" he stated and turned to the other two. Worry manifested in her faces. "I'll be back" he said before climbing over the top.

So he slid into one of the hole's walls. The ground beneath his hooves was partially crystalized, and in some points few rocks were still melting for the extreme heat they were put under nearly half an hour ago. Hard Labour tried to glare beyond the whiteness, but still nothing could be seen farther than his own nose.

"Labour!" called the voice of his invisible wife. "Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'll just try and walk a little forward" he said.

"Daddy, please be careful!" exclaimed Snap.

"Don't worry, hon, I won't stay here for long" he answered.

Labour walked deeper into the fog. Just a few steps from his position the white swallowed him completely, and he suddenly found himself starring at nowhere. Nothing could be seen in midst of all that weird smoke, just a perfect and endless screen of nothing. As he continue walking, Hard Labour wondered how far away could the hillside be from where he was standing. He'd never find the answer to that question because in that precise moment he met face to face the reason why he slipped the crater in the first place.

With a slight whimper, the mysterious being straightened from the ground as a shade and stared directly at him. Suddenly the look of the creature took control over all of his body functions. Labour wanted to move, to do something, but just couldn't. In his mind, he started to fell as if some part of his memories were drained to those eyes glancing at him directly.

"Dear, what's happening?" shouted suddenly Med from a distance.

The voice was loud enough to get through the being's concentration, as it looked away for a second, automatically breaking the hypnosis. Hard Labour, now free from whatever sort of mind control he was influenced by, hurried and charged against his foe. The being didn't notice him coming until Hard Labour was already tackling it.

A loud scream of pain came out of the creature as it flew away for the hit. It landed a couple of meters away from where it lied seconds ago, completely sprawled over the ground. Hard Labour was breathing heavily, but he took his time to calm down as he watched its silhouette in the floor, not performing any other attempt to move. Both remained still while the white world around them was starting to fade into the clarity of the real world.

"Labour!" shouted Med again as she slipped down the same slope.

Hard Labour turned to see his wife and daughter coming for him. He carefully straightened his mane, and regained his composure with martial practice before his daughter could see him like that.

"Labour, are you okay?" asked Med again as she hugged him. "We heard the fight. I was so worried…"

"YAY, you beat the alien!" cheered Snap as she jumped to the place where it landed.

The thing coughed, what made Snap instantly run back to her parents screaming. Hard Labour reassumed his fighting stance, preparing for anything, but, again, the feeling of uncertainty that was throbbing in the air were not disappointed.

The smoke cleared out completely and revealed the unknown foe that was threading Hard Labour so far. In plain sight appeared a pony partially wrapped into a white overcoat. A piece of apparently very expensive silk that was severely damaged.

His coat was light brown, and sprinkled with silvery-blue marks in a regular distribution throughout his anatomy. None of them resembled to anything the ponies had ever seen before, and no cutie mark was occupying his flank. His maine was white and bright, as if it were made of real silver, all messy and tangled over his head and neck, and puddled in the points where it had made contact with the ground.

"Is that the alien?" asked Snap, closing again carefully.

"It's just a boy" stated Med, closing as well. "He's not definitely older than you and I" turned to Labour.

"He wasn't like that when I found him" Labour said, looking with a puzzled expression over him. "No, I'm pretty sure he didn't look like this"

The male Pony coughed, moaning something indistinctly as he crouched in his position a little. The three ponies jumped away from him as he started to move spasmodically. For a moment it seemed that he was going to stand up, but he just had strength enough to rise his head a little bit, and briefly open his eyes.

He had grey eyes, wild and fierce as the clouds of an incoming storm. He passed his sight over the trio that was starring at him. Inside his gaze lied more than just simple pain. There was a clear call for help that shone briefly inside his eyelids before it faded when the strange pony definitely fainted.

"We gotta help him!" exclaimed Med, immediately getting over him.

"Help him? Really? Just after he did this?" asked Labour doubtfully.

"Oh, come on! You can't be serious!" she replied as she picked up his head and shoulders. "Now, help me carrying"

Hard Labour knew he wouldn't win anything over arguing, so with a single pulling movement he carried the boy over his back.

"Wait a sec, are we taking the alien into our home?" asked Snap when she saw this.

"Only until he gets better" answered Med, glaring to her husband for approbation.

"Only until he gets better" restated him as he started to walk out the crater.

And so they did. In the house, Med was able to check and verify the colt's state. They carefully striped the stranger off his overcoat and attended his wounds. He didn't had any open cuts, but several bones were broken, and a slash cut through one mark at his back. Still, Medtreat didn't got her name for nothing; and she was able to recompose his physical state as good as the disposable resources allowed to. They didn't knew yet that the phrase "Only until he gets better" would extend much more time than they could estimate.


	2. Tarak

Flying. He was flying.

Stars passed over his head like strings of light. Below his feet, the vastness of a wide living world was evolving, too far down for the simple eye to notice, but still nurturing his feeling of fulfillment. The rest were flying as well. Their wings spread wide and their straight manes fluttering with the speed. His brothers and sisters were beside him. There could be no better life than this…

"Kadees!" a shout broke in the scene.

Suddenly, like sharks, rising from the deepest of nightmares, the aberrant shine of a war party appeared in the distance and started to flight directly to the terrified watchers. With screams of fear as an opening, the archenemies appeared in that, the most joyful of days, and charged towards their preys. All the feelings of happiness and hope suddenly crushed beneath an almighty sensation of panic. In a moment, the formation that they were following scattered around him, crumbling like a sandcastle that has been blown too hard. He felt too the overpowering sensation of fear climbing through his conscience, trying to hold his limbs with icy claws…

"Knights, form up!" shouted an all mighty voice in the distance. "To me, my brothers! Together!"

He snapped out of his fright in that very second, unconsciously ready to heed his orders.

No. Fear wasn't meant for that occasion. Only the glory of victory or the shame of death was what were left in his heart the moment when, with a thundering sound, the wings of all the guard corps stirred in unison. The voice spoke again.

_Sound the charge into glory ride, over the top of a vanquished pride!_

It sung in a powerful tone, that raised a general cheer from the crowd in response.

"To victory, my brothers! Charge!"

And then it began. The new formed ranks begun to advance towards their enemies, gaining speed with every moment they move forward as their enemies defiantly wait for them in midst of all the chaos. Soon, the new bellicose wind in their wings was carrying them faster than their mere efforts to accelerate towards the main fray. They no longer were flying by their own, but with each other, forming the fearsome phalanx for which the core were so famous and feared. The Kadees were camping at ease, too confident about their triumph that they didn't see them coming until is was too late.

The fight. The very sensation of violence roaming his veins overpowered him as both factions furiously clashed and merged into a single, heterogeneous mass. The battle roared with all its anger around him.

The Kadees tried to hold them, but were sadly unable to as their charge broke through their formation, tearing apart any coherent resistance the enemy could offer. The Kadees then fled from their preys, reluctantly attempting to escape execution. The corps started to prosecute the corrupted traitors as they tried to vainly leave them behind. He was abut to join the others when the voice sopped him.

"You stay here" it commanded. "Protect the people"

"But I can fight!" he replied.

"No!" it cut him off. "Not yet..." it said with a worrisome tone. "Protect the helpless, remember your oath"

_Remember your oath…_

_Remember…_

…_Tarak!_

He woke up suddenly and straightened all that his back let him. Immediately he regretted this, because, as suddenly as his waking, the most awful migraine he had yet ever known stroke his head, forcing him to lie down again. His eyes tried to stay open, but find themselves unable to as they closed their lids again, and, as suddenly as he woke from the dream, he returned to the world of unconsciousness and remained there for a while.

* * *

Slowly this time, so slow that it seemed an eternity, his eyes opened again. Reality returned to his sight as a stream of light after another in a colorful succession… It was strange. All of his body was wrapped up in sheets with a brown blanket on top. Nothing too fancy, but still with an undeniable homely touch. The headache came back to him, but this time slowed down by the passiveness of his second awakening attempt.

Then, not without an absolute care, he rose up completely. His back was almost completely bandaged, as well as his forehead. He tried to remove the bandages to check on his state, but the pain was too intense at the touch to do so. Instead, in spite that he wouldn't be able to check on his own injuries, he started to look at his surroundings.

A narrow room with poor decoration, only visible a big closet and a mirror in the wall, displayed before him. There was an opened window through which a golden sun was filtering, provably at midday, and the sound of a day not so recently begun. He started to tilt his head in an attempt to look curious, but instantly returned to upright position. The migraine was still lurking in every false move he'd do.

Slowly, he approached to the mirror. His legs were strangely weak, as if they'd never walk before, and his balance wasn't any better. He tried to walk straight, though it was at first a nearly impossible task. Still, in the battle between his crippled limbs and his objective, his will found its way to eventually overpower his nullified coordination. For some reason he couldn't explain he had to see what was awaiting him in the mirror.

He looked inside the reflecting surface. Grey eyes and a silverish maine stared back at him from the other side. A young colt was looking at him face to face with an awkward expression. He didn't knew him, nor he haven't seen him before. His face exhibited a pair of silver, long marks on his cheeks, and other two on his temple. This only got him even more surprised as he inadvertently started walking back. He didn't knew what was in that glass, what were its intentions, or even its name!

"Tarak" a voice suddenly said. "Tarak"

"Who said that?" he jumped.

"It's your name, isn't it?" asked the mirror.

"Well, I…"

"Can't remember" he finished. "You can't remember anything… can you?"

"I… I…" he mumbled. "I don't know"

"Who are you?"

"I… don't know"

"What happened to you?"

"I don't know"

"How did you got all these wounds?"

"I said that I don't know"

"Are you a quadruped?"

"I said that I don't know!" he angrily pushed the mirror away, making it fall to the floor and shatter with a sound of broken glass. He was breathing heavily to that point, something that he regretted again for the subsequent migraine that stroke him. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" he grumbled as he bend over in pain. His legs stopped workings and let him fall for a moment. He got starring into a piece of glass in the floor, and had time to fully appreciate himself again in that little sight of his reflection. This time was no mistake of who he was. Not even with all his denial he could get any farther from the truth. "Well, I guess I am a quadruped after all" he sighted.

Something inadvertently draw his attention elsewhere. The strident sound of crashing crockery at his immediate back.

Snap called herself stupid for letting go the meal dishes. She would get down to pick them, but in that moment the stare of the stranger looked back at her, intercepting her every move. The other occupant of the room was gazing at her with total disengagement in his face. One would think that the first reaction of the little filly would be retreat rising the alarm, but, interestingly, she didn't. She didn't spoke a word or moved a muscle, only starring back at the strange colt.

On his side, he didn't knew what to do. It was the first time he had ever encountered another pony in his life, and it was a moment so crucial, and with such a weight in his near future, that he, in spite of the overpowering feeling, didn't know what to say either.

"Snap" she began the introductions, although without shaking away her astonished expression. "Me, Snap" she repeated, like if she would be speaking with an insentient being.

"Ahm…" he mumbled. Words indistinctly choking in the tip of his tongue. Snap sensed his confusion, and started to move towards him when something broke through his verbal blockade. "Tarak!" he exclaimed, provoking his visitor to jump in surprise. "Name's Tarak" he repeated, like if he was proud of it.

"You can speak!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes! I can Speak!" he responded in the same tone. "Or that I think…"

"You can understand me!"

"I guess so…" he haven't finished when Snap was already over him. Her eyes showing that exiting spark of discovery.

"Where are you from? How is it there? Are there more like you? Do you all look like us?"

"Well, I…"

"Oh, never mind!" she changed the subject. "Wait 'till everyone sees you!" she jumped around him as she speak. "We are going to be famous!"

"Yeah, about that…"

"But wait!" she suddenly confronted him again. "Do you come in peace?"

He was about to respond, then paused. He stared in quickly succession to everywhere, while his mouth remained open, evidently not knowing what to say. Snap followed him every millimeter he moved with her watchful eyes, completely pending on the answer.

"I guess…" he finally shrugged. Snap didn't move at first, seeming to be paralyzed by the reply. Tarak was about to ask, but she acted first.

"YEAH! WE'RE HEADING FOR WORLDWIDE RENOWN, BABY!" she cheered her lungs out.

"Hey, what's with all the noise about?" another one came in.

Med entered the room to find the nearly comical scene of her daughter jumping around Tarak, whom for his expression was trying to make any sense out of it.

"Oh goodness, he's awake!" she exclaimed, like Snap but with a little bit of measure. "Snap" she called her daughter. The jumping filly stopped immediately.

"Yes, mom?"

"Mom?" asked Tarak at the same time.

"Can you go down and tell your father, please?" Med continued.

Snap instantly abandoned the scene. Leaving Tarak with Med in the room.

"I'm sorry if she bothered you too much" she said with an honest smile as she picked the reck her daughter had made. "She's been all crazed over your finding. She thinks you are some kind of alien or something!" she laughed. Tarak still had that confused stare in his face. "Although you were in a lot of mess when we found you"

"Found me?" he asked with strangeness.

"Yeah, near the edge of the Everfree forest" she pointed out the window.

"What?" he approached to the window and peeked. The ditch of debris was there, entering itself beyond the undergrowth. "Did I do that?"

"Well, now that a single pony could do that, I would hardly believe it" she giggled, then, changed her mood. "Don't you remember?" she asked, puzzled. When he turned, Tarak's eyes spoke for him very clear. "Oh, I see... Are you sure you can't remember anything?" she asked again. "Whats your name?"

"Tarak, I think" he sighted. "That's everything I got"

"Hmm... Well, you had a terrible hit in the head when we found you. It can explain the amnesia"

"…And the pain" he completed.

"Does it hurts too much?" she came to examine.

"Only when I move it too fast" he answered as she carefully removed the bandage and take a look.

Med had to move his head a little to examine his state, something that Tarak felt as hard as if she'd hit him with a bat repeatedly. But he didn't complained, though. Occasionally he let out some soft whip when she moved his head in certain directions, or touched the point where he was hit. Med tried to be subtle, but at the end the colt was feeling too much discomfort to continue the examination properly.

"It should be fine in a matter of a day or two" she declared putting back the bandages. "After all you took quite a beat"

"I did?" asked Tarak trying not to complain about her touching his head that much.

"I certainly think so. You've been unconscious for three days now"

"Three days!" he exclaimed with surprise. "I've been really gone for that much...? That is much time, isn't it?"

"Yes, but don't worry about that. It's natural due to your condition. Although you have a very strong physique to overcome most of the damage in only three days. It would take a lot more of effort for anypony else"

"Then perhaps I am really an alien" he thought aloud, causing Med to giggle again.

"Now you have sense of humor, good! That means you're on the right way of recovery" she started to walk out the room. "Anyway, come down whenever you feel better. Dinner will be ready soon"

Tarak smiled in response, but went back to bed and lied down for a while. His head was spinning with a sense of vertigo around the room. Where was he from? How did he ended there? And, most important, who was he? A feeling that he was supposed to remember something took over his head. These questions started to circulate his thoughts, but as much as he tried to solve them, the answers just seemed to be more far away.

_Remember your oath... _Kept saying the voice in his dreams. _Your oath…_

* * *

There was no point in keep circling memories he didn't had, and after a while of prowling this apparently endless vortex of oblivion Tarak decided to drop the search due to its lack of point. The stars were already starting to glow when he rose up from bed again with a resignation sigh, and with his emptiness sensation walked away from his room.

Two floors downstairs the rest of the family was already at the table. Tarak recognized the two mares, but found the stallion, who was looking back at him with mistrustfulness, awkward, and a little bit threatening. He was about the size of everypony else in the living room, but in that moment he felt like if he'd be half the stature, and they were twice as old. As he sat in where he considered proper, in the opposite end where the stallion was, he couldn't help to feel the stares of all the other occupants, uncomfortably judging him. Indeed he couldn't find a better moment to feel an alien than that one.

"So…" started the other male after a minute of silence, attending his dish. "I heard you're recovering soon" Tarak twinkled a few times before he realized he was speaking to him.

"Oh, well, I wouldn't know that… sir" somehow he felt proper to add the last appellative. He then looked up to Med. "Will I?"

"I think you're in the right way" she answered shrugging. "You just need a little rest, but the amnesia concerns me, though"

"Amnesia?" asked Hard Labour. "So you don't remember anything"

"Well… I woke up this morning" Tarak tried to grin innocently, but just couldn't get the expression right. Snap giggled anyway.

"Excellent…" sighed Labour. Then turned to Med as well "How long can somepony last with active amnesia?"

"Varies" she shrugged again. "It could be a day, or a year. Only time will tell"

Hard Labour implied his opinion by remaining serious. Silence weighed over the scene again, but this time without the judging mood it early had. Anyway, Tarak was expecting anything, from a denial to the prolongation of that uncomfortable silence when Labour finally sighed again.

"So, it seems that you're gonna be staying for long" he said. Tarak was about to say something when he spoke again. "But you'll have to work here at the farm if you wanna stay"

"An alien without memories…" giggled Snap. "But don't worry, I can teach you everything I know. It will be fun!"

Tarak smiled to her, then looked at Labour. "Thank you for letting me stay" he said happily.

"Only until you recover" sentenced Labour. "After that you will be on you own. Any questions?"

"Yeah" he replied. "What do you want me to do?"


	3. A farmer's life

After a while…

Time slowly turned, and, like what happens with all things over time, the facts settled. The first impression the so called "alien" gave slowly faded as weeks became months. Tarak didn't seemed to have a notion of time nevertheless, as well as an absolute lack of idea about social behavior. To school him about things that anypony should yet know, like, for example, basics in how to read or how to use he bathroom took a lot of effort and endless hours of constant watch. It was clear that to educate an amnesiac pony would take much more trouble than it seemed at first. Although he had a strange aversion to close spaces. He'd only stay inside the house the time he needed to and not a second more. After that he moved to the barn and slowly conditioned it as his living room, but still it was more common to find him sleeping somewhere in the open.

He never found explanations for this behavior, he just couldn't stand closed places. But despite that, he make it up with his strong constitution, and an apparently endless energy reserve that soon showed to be fit for countryside tasks. He soon proved to be very efficient in developing field chores with a relative ease, given the physical requirements of each one.

But time not only helped in forgetting strange facts and unexplainable events. After some weeks working at the farm, which Tarak could not do more than just start to love, he started to be assimilated by the rest of the family. He somehow had a touch between innocence and kindness that was difficult to ignore for long. Even Hard Labour, who remained reluctant the most, started to slowly sympathize with him.

Tarak, meanwhile, soon adopted the thought that here couldn't be something better than this, mostly because he didn't knew any better. For him, everything was working out wonderfully… most of the time.

* * *

There was something unexplainable that happened mostly over night. It was the sky. The night sky full of white dots was what enraptured him the most. Tarak would spend complete hours looking at the stars at night, and every time he saw them in the open, he had the feeling that they were calling him. And not with persuasion or promises of adventure, what most of the time lure away the ambitious, but with apprehension, with brotherly care. Tarak loved his job at the farm, but no matter how much time he spent on it, and regardless of the months that he had past in his new life, he just couldn't shake off the feeling that he was needed elsewhere.

"Tarak?" called Snap as she caught him in one of his infinite stares at the night. The aforementioned turned, but didn't seem surprised to see her. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing, really" he stared back into the heights. "Just catching some air"

"Catching air?" she repeated, confused. "You can catch the air?" Tarak smiled sideways, knowing what was going to come next. "If you can catch air, then you're definitely not from this world!"

"And you're the normal one here…" he answered ironically.

Snap giggled.

"Well, at least I don't sleep in the barn!" she sat down beside him. "And I bet that what you're actually doing is trying to locate your home, and all your alien friends" Tarak was about to reply, when suddenly the filly faced him again. "Seriously, do you come in peace?"

"Seriously, yes" he sighed. He had got used to that "alien" game many time ago. "Now, do you really wanna know about what I was doing or not?"

"Yes, please!" she plead. Tarak then came to speak to her ear.

"I'm listening" he muttered.

"Listening?"

"Yeah, believe it or not" he laid in the ground. "Don't misunderstand me, I like the sounds of this place, but at night I think I hear something else... I can't explain it, but its like an echo, resonating in the stars. It gives me the impression that is calling my name, that it needs me, and sometimes… sometimes I truly believe that my home is up there. Not into a single place or shine, but all the sky at once. Like if the sense of freedom is where I belong…" he suddenly paused to realize that he was looking at the stars again, then turned back to Snap. "But I know it's impossible, right?"

"Hmm…" Snap took her time to respond. Finally she smiled as she stood up. "You tell me. You are the alien after all" she clambered to his back, her forelegs wrapping around his neck. "But whatever it is I'm glad you're here"

"Really?" he stood up as well, carrying her weight without trouble.

"Yeah" she smiled. "That way I got a big brother"

Tarak didn't knew wether to thank or just smile, or just blush as how he was doing in that moment. He wasn't, somehow, surprised, but still the way it was said made the color bloom in his cheeks and caused his gaze to turn away in bashfulness. The little ones always have a naive, yet honest, way with words that can easily get through a grownup's heart. That was the case with Snap there. The filly didn't seem to know how easily she could get into somepony's feelings.

"Ehm... We better go now" he changed the subject as he got on his way. "Your parents are going to wonder about you at any moment, and we better go get some dinner"

"My parents know there's no danger out here if you're with me" she tightened her hold a little more to ensure she wouldn't fall. "And, besides, they know you don't think of anything else than dinner"

"Because dinner is the only thing worth thinking of" he shrugged. "Who wouldn't like a hot soup bowl at the end of the day?"

"You're dumb!" she laughed.

* * *

The rest of his stay at the farm were lone days when Hard Labour had to went off to town to sell the crops. Due to the fact that he didn't trust Tarak at first, the hole family went in the trip for three whole days, leaving the strange pony along with the property.

The first times Tarak felt like if he had been abandoned, but later, after a few explanations, he got to understand that it was actually the way the farm received income to sustain itself. So, instead of believing that he was being left behind, he soon associated this disappearance with an act of great prestige, mostly since Hard Labour was the only one who carried the great cart where all the product was.

"Don't worry about your place, I'll keep an eye around for you!" Tarak used to say every time they leave, and every time he did so.

Curiously, Tarak found pretty easy to perform a duty such as watch over the land when his hosts were gone. Somehow, the way they trust him with the farm was a great motivation for him to stay alert for possible threats, and since his employer wasn't present, he used to have a lot of free time to spend in whatever came to his mind.

In his days off, he got used really fast to inspect his surroundings with a profound perception of detail. A river creek, a fallen tree in the way, they all seemed wonderful, firstly because they were new, but after a while the interest of Tarak to study this apparently common things in nature only grew. Just as unexplainable as his fascination with stars was his concern about any living thing, or at least nature in general. He didn't saw it at first, but then started to perceive a vague essence in all what surrounded him. Like a steady breath that roamed through harmonic melodies, some more perceptible than others, and after a time he even got to acknowledge wether if something was alive or not!

This gave him chills when he realized that neither Med or Labour, or even Snap, weren't able to see it. Tarak tried indirectly to let them know about his particular visions, but none of them could understand enough to tell them the whole truth, so he deduced it wouldn't be a good idea to say so.

Another thing that seemed strange at the time was that he soon discovered that he had an affinity to sing. Although he didn't do it consciously, he soon found out when he discovered himself several times humming melodies he'd never heard before. He thought those were going to fade slowly, but, on the contrary, the choruses and some verses here and there surfaced in his tongue, each one different, but weirdly according to what he was doing at the time.

_A snap's within the summer wind,_

_It teases up the air_

_With warming glow on fields below_

_The harvest season's here_

Things like that never lacked when his attention was focused elsewhere.

_Soon leaves shall yield a brilliant shield_

_Of copper, gold and bronze_

_And rivers strain 'giants summer rain_

_As daylight later dawns…_

Still, he carried on with his life at the farm. His job didn't got any better nor worse, and he still thought there could be nothing better. His relation with Hard Labour started to work out to the point that they both, or at least the stallion, could call him partner. It wasn't as good as Tarak would want it to be, but at least he was glad the mistrustfulness part was in the past… He didn't knew what his future was holding yet.

* * *

Until one morning...

"How do you see Tarak's progress, hon, could you say he's getting any better?" asked Labour once to his wife. Med was working at her personal greenhouse, so she didn't seemed to pay attention, though Labour knew otherwise.

"Well, he's definitely making progress" she answered without taking the look away from the wide variety of plants displaying before her. "I'd like to take the fact that he's starting to sing like a sign that his lost memories are trying to leave afloat"

"So, you think he could recover his memory at any time"

"I'm saying is very likely" she took a flower pod in her mouth and put it into a bag. "But I'm more concerned for the fact that he doesn't leave the farm at all"

"What do you mean?"

"That maybe seeing other ponies would be good for his recall to happen faster"

"You think it would be really good for him? You know, get him to Ponyville? He doesn't know completely how to behave in public, and you want to suddenly throw him into a place full of civilized ponies? Wouldn't that be too much for him to handle?"

"Now who's worried about his welfare?" she smiled sideways.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm only wondering how is he supposed to remember something when he can't even adapt to society"

"Thats easy: Let Snap go with him"

"Say what?" he jumped. "Do you even know what you're saying?"

"What? What's the matter with it?" she shrugged, as if what she had said was the most natural thing in the world. "She is more mature than she looks, and Tarak has always took great care of the farm whenever we're out. If he can look after this whole property, I'm sure he can take care of Snap. Who knows? Perhaps you two are more alike than you think"

"That's what I'm afraid of" he muttered as a swift flashback of his younger days went through his thoughts. He got suddenly so immersed in his mind that he didn't noticed his wife had huddled against him, gently resting her head on his shoulder.

"Trust me, they'll be fine" she looked at him with a smile at her face. "And don't worry about him not fitting… We weren't that normal when we met"

Hard Labour couldn't do anything more than blush as he remembered those times, when he was definitely naive at relationships, and more than just innocent about love… he knew that there was no point in arguing.

* * *

And so...

"Tarak!" called Hard Labour from where he was assembling the wagon with all the supplies that were going to be sell. "Can you come here please?"

"Yes, sir?" Tarak appeared from behind the cart, causing Labour to jump in surprise.

"What were you doing back there?" he asked, confused.

"Miss Med told me to help you loading the supply wagon" he shrugged. "Sorry if I disturbed you"

"No, no… It's fine" He turned back to where his wife was looking both from the entrance of the greenhouse with a noticeable spark of expectation in her eyes… Labour sighed. "Do you like working here at the farm?" turned to Tarak again. He hadn't took his eyes off him.

"I couldn't ask for anything better" he answered naturally. "Why's that for?"

Hard Labour took breath to speak again. Suddenly he wasn't confident enough to say it out loud.

"Because I think you have proven yourself… worthy" he forced himself to find the words. "So, in spite of all your dedication and effort, I've decided…" he took breath again. He had a bad feeling about this. "...That you should go to the town instead of me this time"

Tarak didn't say nothing. His expression suddenly turned dumbstruck, like if Hard Labour had just offered him a principality. Labour, on the other side, started to get confused at the pony's stupefaction, and was about to ask when the younger stallion bursted in cheer.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" he exclaimed, stomping his terrain. "I swear I won't disappoint you!" Hard Labour was going to speak again, when the forelegs of the young one wrapped around his neck. "This is such a great honor! I… I…"

"Are you crying?" he asked again.

"Ehm… no" the other one excused as he separated from him, whipping a tear of joy.

"Anyway…" Hard Labour resumed. "I'd like also to take Snap with you. You know, just in case"

"I thought you'd never ask!" exclaimed the filly from cart's seat, at least half as exited as the colt was. "I've been here for ages now! Are we gonna go or what?"

"But who the…" Labour didn't had to finish the question before the answer came to him.

He turned again to his wife. Medtreat was staring back at him with her eyebrows risen and a grin of amusement.

Again, no words were necessary, just for her to innocently walk away whistling a tune. Hard Labour pursed his lips at that. He'd have to speak with his wife once the two younglings were gone.

Labour turned again just to find Tarak with his eyes fixed upon him, awaiting for his final words.

"Okay" he sighed again. "You can go" they both were about to cheer when Hard Labour spoke again. "BUT…" they freezed. "Promise me you'll take care of Snap" he said to Tarak. "From the moment that you leave this farm, she's your responsibility. Understood?"

"Don't worry, sir" Tarak answered, saluting with joy. "I'll keep an eye on her all the time"

"Hey, have you finished?" exclaimed Snap from her place. "We got a long road to go, so we better start now!"

"Well I guess we should be going then" said Tarak as he pulled the harness around his back.

"Just remember" sentenced Hard Labour. "Its your responsibility"

"Rest easy" he smiled back. "I will! Besides, when have I ever let you down?"

Hard Labour sighed again.

"Never" he admitted, choking a 'yet' in his throat. "That's why I trust you"

Tarak fell in confusion again about what should he say or do. It was the greatest honor for him to finally visit the town, from where Snap had told him so many things about, and the fact that his host, who would usually look at him like an astray dog, had finally gave him his trust only increased his resolution to make things right…

* * *

Meanwhile...

Thousands of miles away, above the top of the skyline, something hidden from plain sight, cleverly obscured by daylight, was staring into the barren land that displayed before him. Though his wings were still, he was floating, completely ignoring all the wind currents that would blew around him at such heights. He had been there for whole months, passing undetected by the lower life forms under his watch, undiscovered by simple eyes, and now he was starting to lose his patience about his subtle methods.

The others had already left by now, all underestimating, each one at its time, the possibility of retaliation that had called them in the first place. Only he remained, depending his pride on demonstrating the truth of his words.

Firstly he began to search for vengeance, but now it was a matter of respect wether he would find him and prove himself true or not. It was only his stubbornness what had kept him in his place the whole time, but bad thing about being stubborn is that it tends to slowly burn patience, and, in his very special case, his fuel reserve was running dangerously low.

His eyes screened the whole landscape, but nothing yet happened. Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Not a single sight of his objective. The pain of mockery, slowly burning him, sparkled an almost uncontrollable rage behind his thoughts.

Now, frustrated, he roared atop of his lungs. Suddenly his form started to loose altitude, and his wings, that were held in the same place all that long, started to slowly close in a flap movement. The time of being subtle was over. Now he would burst into action, wether it was a good idea or not. All he cared for was the sweet prize of revenge, and he would get it, so he had to burn the whole world for it.


	4. The shadow from the sky

On top of Smokey Mountain two shades were moving towards the peak. That day the weather hadn't specially woke up with a good mood, and a furious storm, accompanied by one of the coldest blizzards they had ever known, were ruthlessly whipping the mantle of snow that was tortuously moving under their hooves.

Derpy had given up the idea of flying through the tempest for fear that the wind could carry her along with the millions of snowflakes that were hitting her face every second.

"I thought you said the weather was going to be fine!" yelled Firefly behind her. "Well, this is not getting better!"

"Don't worry" she talked back, moving against the storm. "We'll get through this, you'll see. We just gotta keep moving ahead!"

Contradicting her words, a wind, stronger than the others, suddenly stroke the two ponies with a devastating force. Both Derpy and her companion fell to the ground and soon got buried in a small avalanche as a shadow rapidly dashed over their position.

"What was that?" asked Firefly as she rose up, displaying her wings to shake away the snow from her feathers.

"What was what?" rose Derpy after her. "I didn't see anything, did you?"

She was about to answer when another wind current stroke them, at least as strong as the last one. Though this time they were prepared to resist the air, another wave of snow, that they didn't saw until the last moment, crashed against them. A second later both were buried in coldness again.

"Well, this time I saw it!" rose up Derpy.

"Really?" asked Firefly as she rose up again as well.

"Yeah, this was an enormous one and almost got us!" she covered the place with a gesture. "I don't know why I didn't see it before"

"What? No! Not that!" she said while helping Derpy to get out the snow. "I was talking about the shade!"

"A shade? I think this place is making you see things!" she laughed as her partner sighed with resignation.

"Well the only thing I would like to see, is freaking good weather!" she yelled. "Is that too much to ask for?"

Again, as if the tempest over their heads could hear them, the winds suddenly stopped blowing, and in their place left a silent curtain of snow that soon faded all around, like a tangible frozen fog.

"Interesting…" muttered Derpy in surprise, then turned to her companion. "Now ask it to rain muffins!"

"Hush!" she shut her. "There's something fishy about this"

Silence weighed over the place, making a strange void effect in comparison to all the noise the wind was making. Everything was now still and quiet, moving at the speed of eternity as it was falling from the darkened sky. Both ponies waited for something to happen, but nothing arose other than a silence heavier than the feeling of awkwardness.

After a moment Derpy spoke again.

"I don't see anything" her voice broke the air like a rock through thin glass.

"I told you to shut it!" Firefly replied instantly, ignoring the sudden change of illumination in the scenery… the light was starting to turn red. "Can't you pass another second without making any trouble?"

"Watch out!" Derpy pushed her companion away as a deafening whistling noise broke through the air.

A second later, in the same spot where both were standing, a red fireball fell from the sky and smashed the ground, making a cracking sound as loud as if the whole mountain were being torn apart.

The two ponies flew in opposite directions, followed closely by a third avalanche that covered them as they fell. A rain of dirt, sloughed rocks and cobblestone then fell over the place as well, like a closure to the catastrophic event.

When Derpy slowly regained conscience she was laying atop a pile of debris caused by the impact of whatever hit the ground moments ago.

The impact zone was nearly a couple meters away from her. A column of black smoke was rising from the crater to the cloudy sky. Derpy took a moment to shake the dizziness out of her skull and realize, maybe for once, how close she had been to get smashed. Beyond the edge was nothing that could be distinguishable. She walked towards the edge of the hole and was about to look down when the voice of her partner spoke from the other side.

"Wait!" Firefly exclaimed, hidden from view. "Stay away from it! We don't know what it is!"

"Oh, don't worry" replied Derpy from her side. "I'm not going to…" one of her hooves slipped from a loose edge, sending a pebble of considerable size into the darkness.

Both ponies couldn't see each other, but, strangely, they were holding their breath as the piece of ice and rock rolled down the slope until it reached the bottom, far away from view. The screen of smoke didn't allow any kind of vision through, so whatever was at the lowest was still shrouded in mystery. Derpy leaned a little more, trying to see further, when suddenly the voice of Firefly broke in again.

"Derpy, lets go! This place is dangerous!" she appeared beside her, causing her to jump.

"Okay, okay!" she replied. "Jeez, you have a way to jump into ponies…"

She hadn't ended her phrase when suddenly another noise sprang from the inside of the crater. Something so familiar, yet so threatening that both of them rapidly felt their blood running cold: the unmistakable sound of ice cracking under heavy weight.

It didn't took long for them to acknowledge that something was climbing the crater walls… towards their direction.

"What was that?" Firefly asked in fear.

"I don't know" she muttered.

Another crack, this time accompanied by a clearly distinguishable growl, that took their breath of the impression, answered the question.

Silence rose again, as well as a rapidly increasing level of tension that was chorused by the dull whistling of the steady wind, which was starting to blow again. Derpy and Firefly only had time to share a rapid, nervous, view of each other before whatever awaited for them in the dark revealed itself.

Two eyes suddenly shone in midst of the darkness that surrounded them, judging for the height of where they sparkled, of something way taller than an average pony. Way taller than anything even equine…

Another growl emerged from the darkness. Both Derpy and Firefly tried to scream, but their lungs closed by the impression, allowing them to only ghasp in awe.

But adrenaline made the impression fade as soon as it hit them as Firefly regained control of her body before her companion and prepared to scream… Nothing came out of her throat ever, for as fast as the strange thing had fell to the earth in the first place, two giant jaws instantly closed over the pegasus, gobbling her entirely in an instant.

Derpy wasn't the most perceptive, but even she could recognize the threat to her life at the same second when her mate disappeared under the blackness itself of a nightmarish creature that had just jumped out of the thick smoke. She didn't remain still enough to check its exact shape anyway. Instantly, she put her hooves to get away from there as fast as possible, screaming in terror as whatever lied at her back was sure to set sight on its next target: her.

At her back, Derpy could hear a deafening roar of the monster over the beating of her heart. The foe was charging towards her. Derpy rushed even more, trying to push her condition to the limit, although, judging by the drumming sound of her persecutor's feet against the ground, she didn't stand a chance of outrunning it.

She still tried to run faster, and a moment before she fell into a fissure in the ice, she could already feel her chaser's breath over the back of her neck. Still, luck stroke her when she most needed, and, instead of being breakfast for an unknown creature, another kind of dark swallowed her as icy walls suddenly climbed around her.

Derpy fell into the hole with a mix of sensations between relief and panic. She desperately tried to find a hold with her hooves, but just kept falling through the slippery ice until the same walls were close enough to sustain her weight between them.

Derpy waited a second to realize that she was like twelve meters away from the surface, being hold by all her strength in midst the walls. Only then she allowed herself to sigh in complete relief. Safety at last!

Her feeling couldn't last, because at the next second a handful of claws entered the breach and started to break their way into the hole, fiercely scratching the ice of the walls, tearing hundreds of shavings with each swipe.

Derpy screamed again and tried to reach lower into the ground, but the space below her was very narrow to do so. She was trapped at the mountain's complete mercy.

The monster, sensing her despair, doubled frenetically its efforts to break through, shedding enormous pieces of ice in the process. Derpy tried desperately to get even deeper, but were unable to get away as her predator had every second an increasing chance to reach her.

Then, realizing that she wouldn't escape, Derpy just watched as one of the beast's paws reached down and stopped just a few millimeters away from her… And then nothing.

The black monster was stuck between the same walls he had violently craved in its rampage. Now it couldn't go any further but there was no other exit rather than the one it was now blocking.

Derpy thought that it would still tear its way into the breach, but, surprisingly, the beast desisted a few moments after it struggled, powerless, to reach her. The great paws withdrew after the black silhouette, and instantly disappeared in the outer world. Its paws tearing the snow as they walked away until the sound definitely faded.

Silence once again. Derpy tried to hear something outside the edges of the fence, but nothing came from the exterior. Snowflakes started to fall, announcing the return of the bad weather. Everything around went so quiet that even the clouds were making more noise as they moved back.

To that point, Derpy was starting to wonder wether if that monster was awaiting for her at the entrance of the hole or not. Although nothing could be seen from her position, there was the possibility that it hadn't gave up, and were still lurking out there, waiting for her to show up over the edge just to ambush and kill her.

Derpy didn't move for a long time, waiting just to be sure that the danger had passed. Perhaps because of her concern of what was supposed to lie outside was why she didn't notice the strange mist that were emerging from the depths of earth. A dark, thick, fog that was climbing through the walls, slowly surrounding her.

The last thing Derpy knew was that two giant jaws were closing over her. A cavernous maw suddenly replaced all around her, and a second later the world ceased to exist. Derpy didn't remember what happened next rather than obscurity. Not that she would use her memory that much.

* * *

Tearing apart the fissure at the entrance, he emerged from where his pray was hiding moments ago. His lungs breath the cold air of the mountain as he reassumed his original form. His claws returned to the coldness of the snow with a shivering sensation. That place definitely was a hostile environment… He liked it.

He then swallowed his prey down his recently formed throat. Both of them had been just a delicacy because of their fear, but other than his complacency the act of eating them obeyed another more practical purpose. When both subjects were already consumed a series of images started to flash in apparently chaotic succession before his eyes. The memories of the lower creatures were displaying on his brain in order to be analyzed by his conscience.

This was the first step in acknowledging where his ultimate objective was hiding… Or at least it seemed like it in the first moments of the process.

The thoughts of both ponies were rich in experiences, but barely nothing about them was crucial information to his objective. Memories about parties, fairs, and other things that made him sick was all that those low living earthworms had to offer. He was about to throw them up and offer them the death they deserved when a memory popped out of the rest, immediately stopping him to do so.

A fountain of power, yes. A very powerful source of magic that was highlighted in the second one's memories. Although it was faded in perhaps a hundred of other less relevant thoughts, its reference was still resilient throughout time. That was what he had been looking for.

Slowly, the corner of his lips rose to form a smile in his diabolic face. "Ponyville", that was called the place by the locals. His smile grew wither letting out a couple of evil laughs. The setting for his revenge had now a name, and nothing in this or any other world would stop him to satisfy his need for destruction.

"YOU HEAR ME!?" he roared to the wind. "No matter where you hide I'll find you, LUMINI!"

* * *

Dozens of kilometers away, the wagon wheels were rattling with the pebbles of the road. Tarak had been pulling the cart all the way at a decent pace and Snap were watching from the front seat as the colt pulled without trouble a wagon that should be at least twice as heavy and even singing while he do it.

_A belt, a broach and a cloak of wool_ _And a tin cup, knife and a wooden bowl_

_And some sweet potcheen in a cruiscin full is what we'll need_

_Wrapped up tight in the family plaid_ _Are the grins and giggles of the games we've played_

_And they're all trussed up in the tools of trade to earn our feed!_

And then repeated a chorus.

_Pack our bags, harness the horses_

_For the frog just danced, the cat just grinned_

_I've now heard from reliable sources_

_That we're bound out on the festival wind!_

He was as happy as the lyrics of his song were actually happening, although he didn't seem to know he was singing it out loud for the filly's delight. Again, he wasn't aware of how entertaining could be whenever he was distracted. Snap could enjoy it indefinitely...

Suddenly the cart stopped. Snap almost fell from it as Tarak countered the wagon's inertia wit no effort. He had shut his song in an instant and his expression had turned into one of total alert. Though there was nothing threatening around, he was like if he had just found himself face to face with a timber wolf.

"Tarak?" asked Snap as she climbed back over her seat. "What's happening?"

Tarak didn't answered. Perhaps he didn't even listened. His gaze was completely dumbstruck and his ears were perceiving everything though no sound could reach through them. He suddenly was in some sort of shock state.

"Tarak, what's happening?" Snap shook him. "Come on, you're starting to scare me!"

"Wha-what?" the colt reacted and looked down to Snap with absolute confusion in his eyes.

"What happened to you?" she asked again. "You were like gone and I had to bring you back, what's the matter?"

"I…" he hesitated. "I don't know" he whispered as he looked around nervously. "But I don't feel we're safe here anymore"

"What?"

"It's a presentiment" he carried her back to her seat. His voice was markedly anxious.

"A presentiment of what?"

"I don't know" he pulled the harness over his back again. "But the sooner we get to Ponyville, better"


	5. Salesmare

Somewhere in the Everfree forest.

Deep within the brushwood there was a creek. Nothing too big nor too small, but just large enough to satisfy the needs of a moderate herd of creatures, what happened to be gathering in that precise moment there. First they started to come one by one. The first to arrive had plenty of water to drink at ease, but then, after a while, more and more joined until it seemed that all the fauna of the area was coming around the crystalline liquid to get a drink that could fight the thirst of a sunny day. More and more critters started to gather around, so the ones that were already there made space for the newcomers. All of them would have their chance to satisfy their needs. It was natural harmony... But, sadly, it couldn't last.

Suddenly one of the critters rose up from its place in the pond and started to scan its surroundings, completely alert. Almost immediately all the other made the same, rising ears and opening eyes wide. In a moment they all became anxious as if they were being stalked. Reality wasn't that wrong, for as soon as they stopped their actions something in the undergrowth, beyond sight, started to move.

Bushes began to shake, announcing the presence of an unknown foe as it lurked in the shadows, and judging by the movement of the leaves it wasn't a little critter at all...

The animals stood paralyzed, not knowing wether to flee or not. The unknown creature started to roam in circles away from sight as steady growls began to sound.

The critters had little time to react. Suddenly, with an attack roar, a black beast jumped out of the bushes and into the terrified pack of small animals. All the critters, as soon as their instincts regained control of their bodies, immediately started to flee the place, as fast as their legs could carry them away from the path of that monstrous being.

* * *

He mentally laughed as he watched in delight the chaotic retreat of all the lower forms around him. He kicked, roared, and tried to catch them with his diabolic forepaws, but he never really intended to get them. With all the squeaky noises of fear and their obtuseness as they ran into each other in an attempt to escape was more than enough entertainment for him. In a matter of seconds the creek was empty except for him. The birds have left in fright too, leaving heavy silence in the air behind them.

Even the water had a different tone as it ran beneath his form. It was darkened in the point where it touched his matted fur, and carrying a trail every moment longer as it went downstream. He didn't seem aware of this to be happening, or at least didn't matter. 'Delightful' was the only word that came to him as his body slowly turned longer and longer. His legs were absorbed by his chest, and his coat was replaced with a scaly skin. His new form was completely covered by the water of the creek, and remain there for a second before reappearing in his original shape, splashing everything around.

The water was almost completely darkened when he decided to continue. So, he shook to get rid from the excess of water, and spread his wings. A red light bathed everything around as he took impulse to leave the ground. Around him, nature began to turn gray and decrepitate. Any living thing that were sprayed by the water started to loose its form little by little.

He watched this as a smile drew in his face. His fun with that world had only just begun, but how was he enjoying it already! He waited for everything around him to look as distorted as how much liquid had absorbed, and then, with a little jump, he finally left. A crimson explosion spread from the point where he was standing a second before.

The red bright ascended a few kilometers in a completely vertical movement, and then disappeared to the west, behind a group of clouds.

* * *

Meanwhile...

The road was quiet an peaceful. At its sides stood the mountain peaks, high and snowcapped through where the clouds were swaying by a fresh breeze, but despite the majesty of the scenery it took Tarak some time to calm down. Although he didn't reach the point to start singing, at least his sudden state of alert decreased to the point where Snap could be sure he wouldn't throw her off the cart again.

Still, he didn't speak or do anything else rather than pulling the cart, apparently lost within a sea of thoughts. Snap was starting to feel uncomfortable about his silence, but couldn't found a proper way to break it until they started to take the slope of a hill taller than the rest.

"So, what was that had you so worried about?" she asked. "You looked like if something'd crush us from the sky!"

Tarak didn't show amusement at the commentary, but still he smiled sideways.

"If only you knew…" he muttered.

"See? Now you're turning mysterious. Seriously, what was that?"

"I couldn't tell" he shrugged. "It was like if suddenly I knew that something dangerous was here, around, and the strange thing is that even though I know there's nothing here I still feel something is about to happen… Its hard to explain, but somehow I think this 'something' wants to destroy us. Are you following me?"

Snap was looking at him more confused as if Tarak would have just explained her the functionality of the universe.

"Oh, never mind" he gave up. "The point is that I feel things are about to change, but I can't explain why or how"

"AAAHHH… Well, if you feel like if we are in danger and nothing is happening it must be because you're starting to remember"

"Seriously? How can you tell?"

"I don't know" she shrugged, imitating Tarak. "It's the best explanation I can think of right now"

"Well, its better than nothing" he sighed. "Anyway, how much longer to get to Ponyville?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" she pointed front as they reached the top of the hill. "We're here!"

Tarak looked over the top, following the hoof of the filly, and what he saw made the words run out of him in surprise. Although Poniville wasn't the biggest town in Equestria, nor the fanciest to look at, the simple vision of so many buildings around a central square, not to mention that it was the first time he had ever seen a complete town, quickly made his worries disappear. Up to that a day, Tarak would find difficult to believe that there could be another place bigger than the farm!

"So many…" he mumbled in disbelief as his jaw fell to the floor. "So many…"

"Yes, I know its impressive the first time" Snap giggled, gently patting his head. "But still we need to sell a thing or two in a matter of three days, so there isn't time to lose, is it?"

"No miss!" he saluted.

"Then forward, stallion! Customers are waiting!"

* * *

About the same time, in Ponyville…

Twilight Sparkle came out from the front door of her library-home and stretched her legs in the eve of a new day. She had woke up early, as always, to take on her daily chores and other matters that claimed her attention, as for, to get started, going to do some grocery shopping, spell studying and practicing, delivering some book requests, and reshelving, for the perhaps million time, all the library's collection. 'Well, I better be on my way_'_. She thought as she walked away from the porch, straightening the strap of her saddlebag. 'All those things aren't going to make themselves…'

But, nevertheless, she hadn't gave two steps in front, when her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of galloping hooves and jumping wheels that were resonating throughout the street. Although it was loud enough to break through her concentration, it took her a moment to acknowledge what was she hearing, and another to find the source of the noise… And only half a second to dodge the charging wagon that was accelerating towards her.

"Hey, watch it!" she yelled as she jumped back.

"Sorry!" answered the colt that was singly pulling the cart.

The apology was premature, but certain, because when the transport passed her, the wheel of the speeding wagon hit a puddle of stagnant water, completely splashing her in the process. Twilight was about to complain, but her aggressor had disappeared down the street in matter of seconds, provoking at least half a dozen incidents more like the one that had just happened. Twilight watched everything from her spot, trying to find the words to express her disengagement.

"Someponies these days…" she finally sighed as she continued her way, but, again, she hadn't even give two steps forward when she noticed something different in her actual state, inside the pocket where she were carrying her books to be precise. "Oh, no…" her eyes opened wide as she began to acknowledge what was going on. "Oh, no no no no…" immediately, she opened her pocket to check its content. There were nothing. "No no no no no…"

Desperate, Twilight started to turn from side to side, looking for a sign of relief. Finally, her eyes found the couple of books that were lying in the open, near another puddle five meters away.

There was no time to loose. Twilight sprinted towards her precious immediately, hoping that she wouldn't come too late. That was, perhaps, the reason why she didn't noticed a second cart, that was advancing towards the place were the tomes were lying. Twilight rushed even forward to get them, but she just wasn't quick enough. The tumbril was just seconds away. Twilight could only get there just to see how the transport overrode the puddle, with the books alongside it.

"NO!" she screamed in terror as she watched that scene of felony.

Instantly, she lifted both the cart and the stallion that were pulling it with her magic and sent them away, provoking a crashing noise as the tumbril and its driver hit the ground.

Twilight didn't seem to notice as voices rose up towards the accident scene from ponies that were coming to help. All her attention was focused on her now battered books. A single wheel rolled beside her, but it didn't matter.

One of them was only wet from the splash the cart wheel caused, but the other presented serious damage, with pages torn and smeared ink. Although it was damaged almost to the point beyond salvation, still Twilight tried to remain hopeful… at least until she opened it.

Words ran away from her by the shock, and one of the most ghastly sensations she had ever known suddenly climbed her spine. In midst of all the words, in the precise spot where it had been rolled over by the wheels, there was a huge mark of mud, squashed things, and who-knows-what that had been printed over the pages in the perfect shape of the wheel.

Twilight tried to contain her grief, but it was just too much to handle. That was it. The book, a limited first edition signed by the author, something now impossible to get, and one of her personal favorites, was ruined beyond any possible repair.

Twilight felt that her breath was abandoning her, but before the emotion seized the best of her she released her sorrow the only way she could: shouting.

"NOOOOO!"

* * *

"Shouldn't we stop?" asked Tarak as he pulled the wagon.

"Don't worry, I got something in mid!" answered Snap from her seat. "Now, forward! Into the town square!"

The wagon kept dashing through the streets at a dizzying speed. Tarak was pulling with the same ease as if he'd be running by his own, completely ignoring the weight of what he was carrying at his back, and, apparently, whoever got in his way. Pulled by him like this, the wagon entered the town market, rising a curtain of dust and views from all their occupants.

"Aaaaand stop!" Snap suddenly ordered.

Tarak countered all the impulse of the vehicle again with his simple strength, but this time he made the great cart skid to finally stop beside the sidewalk, perfectly placed in an open spot between two other stores.

"Great entrance, Tarak!" she cheered as the colt were pulling off his harness.

"Thanks. But didn't it was a little exaggerated?"

"Shut it, Tarak. There is not such things as too fancy when it comes to sales!" she answered aggressively.

"What's up with your voice?"

"What? That's my mob voice" she shrugged. "Now go set the store, we got many things to sell today!"

Curious ponies gathered around the wagon, moving through the screen of dust towards it when suddenly the sales post rose before their eyes, making at least half of them jump in surprise, but the impression hadn't totally faded when Snap appeared jumping over the table.

"Hey you!" she pointed to the crowd around the place. "You wanna buy food or what?"

A couple of seconds later…

All the ponies were forming a long line after the table where the goods were circulating in exchange of money. Snap was handling the transactions while Tarak was moving from the post to the cart and vice versa in order to bring whatever the dozens of costumers required.

One request after another, the line of ponies piling up for supplies seemed only to grow as time turned over. Tarak had never seen, nor participated, in such a scene of hysteria, though the sensation felt somehow familiar. Snap didn't look to have trouble in handling the crowds, from taking orders to collect the payment. Apparently, she was the one that was enjoying the action, and who could deny that? It was like if the whole town had suddenly bursted into a shopping frenzy!

Tarak had trouble keeping up at first. Too many orders started to overwhelm his capacity to fulfill them on time as they were raining down on him, but after a while his skills to concentrate compensated the delay that had him so overtaken in he first half hour or so. Curiously he had the capability to focus and remain keen under great stress, and, at that rhythm, at the end of the day he knew almost instinctively where was everything stored and what did the young "salesmare"would need even before she say it. This way he worked tireless until the last one of the crowd were given what they asked satisfactorily.

* * *

It was already late eve when the last pony in the place left the shop. Snap declared the business officially closed, and Tarak dismantled the post. Both were physically exhausted, but still a scent of optimism could be breath in the air: at least half of the merchandise was gone.

"Well, that was intense" stated Tarak as he stretched his legs. "Its been a long day, but I feel was totally worth it!" he turned to Snap. "Do you always do this?"

"Well, today I tried something a little bit different than what we usually do" she smiled as she stretched too. "I had my doubts, but it proved to be effective! We sell almost everything in the cart!"

"Almost everything? But we still have half of everything. Whats that supposed to be for?"

"Well of course we don't subsist based only on our sales! Three days a week? Where would that take us?"

"I haven't thought it that way…" he rubbed his chin with the back of his hoof. "So what's the rest for?"

"The rest is distributed among several loyal costumers. They provide us with everything our regular clients can't"

"Hmm…" Tarak seemed to think about it for a second, as if he were calculating, but then he dropped it. "You're too intelligent to be that small" he declared at last.

"And you're too dumb to be that big!" she giggled as she gave him a tap on his shoulder. "Now I''m gonna do some math on our inventory" she disappeared behind the cart.

"And what do I do?"

"Enjoy the scenery!" Snap answered from the inside.

Tarak didn't find anything to argue against that order, nor that he wanted to, so he got down to work. The town market place was an enormous open space, so it didn't lack of picturesque views. Tarak watched in fascination every detail of his surroundings, from the dust that was being carried by the wind to the occasional visits that journeyed around. He had been curious of the place when they first entered, but never had the chance to fully appreciate it since he was busy with all the selling business going on. Now he had time to enjoy himself, and he was liking it.

The sun was already setting and the rest of the sky had a comforting red and orange tone. The night was upon the place, threatening to fall at any moment, but still there could be seen some wanderers walking across the open street.

Tarak was watching one after another when suddenly appeared a couple that instantly drew his attention.

The first one was normal, as normal as his standards were, with pink coat and maine. The only peculiar thing about her was that she was hopping instead of walking, but still he could understand that. What he found bewildering was her companion, another mare for what he could see, but with something that he'd never seen before. A very distinguishing feature that exalted her over the rest…

Tarak had never came across a pony that had what she showed, apparently not noticing how much attention it drew… He didn't notice while he was watching in awe, but his curiosity was unconsciously driving him towards the couple with his baffled expression, so inevitable as a bug that's attracted to a light.

* * *

Rarity and Pinkie Pie were walking towards their respective homes when they found each other. Although Ponyville wasn't that large, their encounter had been something purely coincidental. Still it turned out to be more entertaining than it appeared at first… The point was that the two mares were so involved in the chat that they didn't pay attention to who was coming their way until he was already before them.

"So, what happened next?" asked Rarity.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe it!" cheered Pinky with her squeaky voice. "I was going to get out of there when…"

Suddenly she jumped into Tarak's ground, bumping against him without care. Though she fell immediately to the floor, Tarak didn't move a centimeter. He didn't even seem to notice he was struck. His eyes were wide open, staring directly at Rarity's horn as if he were a scientist that had come across a new life form.

"Hey! What happened?" stood up Pinkie Pie brushing the dirt off.

Tarak didn't answered. He was just staring at Rarity's horn. Silence quickly fell over the three, and an awkward sensation filled the blank space between them even faster.

"Can we help you?" asked Rarity, smiling as she stared back at him in disengagement.

"What is that?" asked Tarak focusing his gaze at Rarity's forehead.

"What is what?" she tried to gaze what he was looking at.

"That, in your face" he pointed to her. "I've never seen it before"

"What? What is in my face?"

"I don't know" he shrugged. "But it doesn't seem natural..."

"What!?" Rarity suddenly shook him in despair. " What is it!? Tell me!"

"I couldn't!" he complained, now frightened as well. "I've never seen it before!"

"Oh, no! What could it be! A growth? A pimple? A… decease?"

"A decease?" Tarak started to back away in fright.

"I knew it!" suddenly she bursted into tears. "Oh, whyyyy!" she moaned as Tarak watched with a mix of disengagement and fear. He was about to ask when, as sudden as she broke, the mare stood up again. "How could it happened? My lifestyle is so hygienic!" again he was going to speak when the mare confronted him. "Is it dangerous? Mortal? Contagious? You gotta tell me!"

"Whats 'contagious'?"

"Oh, no!" she screamed, terrified then turned away like if she'd be talking to a crowd. "Everypony run! I'm highly contagious!"

All the near ponies that could hear her started to panic as they fled the scene immediately. The others, more remote to acknowledge what was going on, just stared at the mayhem that was suddenly escalating through the square. Rarity fell to the floor in tears as Tarak watched, paralyzed in his place with his mouth wide open, still not understanding anything that was happening.

"What the hay is happening here?" appeared Snap near Pinky, who was watching too, but with amusement instead of fear.

"I don't know, but it looks like they're having fun!" answered Pinky.

Snap looked upon the pair and tried to make sense of it again. Both of them looked equally mortified, but there wasn't any logical explanation for what was happening, and the mare next to her wasn't much of a help. So she sighed in resignation as she walk towards them.

"Well I better go find out before somepony gets a heart attack" she stated and stepped between the two protagonists. "Now, can anypony explain to me what is happening?"

"Oh, great! You may know!" exclaimed Tarak with relief. "I was going to ask a question, but I think I did something wrong" he nodded to where Rarity was lying in the floor, bursting into tears. Snap looked at it, but still no sense could be made out of it.

"Ahm… sure, just tell me what did you do"

Tarak opened his mouth as if he were going to speak, but then shut it, trying to find an explanation. Even he couldn't fully explain the complexity of the situation. Snap stood still waiting for an answer as she raised an eyebrow questioningly. Tarak tried again to mentally make an explanation, but the best thing he could come up to was just to point at Rarity's horn.

"What is that?"

"That?" Snap didn't understand at first, but then suddenly acknowledged the hole thing. "Oh, now I get it! She doesn't have anything wrong, she's a unicorn!"

"A… Unicorn?" he puzzled.

"Yeah, and they're supposed to have it"

Tarak stood reflective for a second. "Hmm… nah, that sounds made up" he said as he started o walk away.

* * *

Rarity was the next to acknowledged the misunderstanding. By that time Tarak was already elsewhere, so Snap had to drag him back in order to apologize.

"I'm sorry for… whatever happened here" said Tarak regretful.

"Don't worry, dear. It could happen to anypony" answered the aggrieved mare, unsuccessfully pretending to regain her composure. "It's nothing to worry about, seriously!"

"Are you sure you are okay? You look… well, disturbed"

"I'm fine, really!" she forced herself to smile. "Now I need to get to my home as soon as possible"

"Can I come with you?"

"NO!" she panicked for an instant, then regained her nerve. "I mean… it's too sweet from you, darling, but I'll be fine, thank you"

"Oookay, I'm gonna let you do your stuff then" he started to back away again. The two mares followed his example and got away from that awkward scene. "Oh, and sorry again for making you believe that you were gonna die!" he said goodbye.

Pinky replied the greeting happily, but Rarity groaned something incomprehensible, then both disappeared behind a corner.

"What a nice couple" declared Tarak happily.

"They wont' come back" interjected Snap. "In other matters, how did all this went so wrong?"

"What?" he shrugged. "I've never met a… a..."

"…A unicorn?"

"That: a unicorn, before"

Snap didn't look so convinced, but then sighed. "I think I can't blame you after all. That should the first time you ever met a unicorn. But didn't you saw others when we were selling all the crops?"

"Well, with all the action I couldn't focus on anything that weren't orders" he excused, nervously scratching his neck. "But, hey, I got something good to tell you, now that I remember!" he took out a small pocketbook. "I've finished reading what you assigned to me!"

Snap took the book and looked at it with surprise in her face. "Impressive! You have improved quite a lot!"

"Yeah! And this time I haven't destroyed it…! Accidentally, of course" he smiled with regret.

Snap silently recalled all the disastrous attempts to school Tarak into reading. Quickly, she studied the state of the book, looking for any scratches, wrinkles in the paste, or even half eaten pages which occurred with previous reading materials that ended in the colt's possession. Finally, after checking the state of the book, she looked back at Tarak with seriousness.

"This book is in… perfect shape!" she cheered. "Finally, you managed to read something without destroying it!" she handed back the book. "You should go to the library to return it!"

"Right away!" he galloped.

"Wait!" Tarak returned with the same speed. "At this time it should be already closed, it'd be better if you try tomorrow"

"So, tomorrow it is" he shrugged as he started to walk back to the wagon. "But, to be honest, I've never understood why do you always stop doing things at night"

"Could you work that well at night?" she rose an eyebrow questioningly again.

"No, but still it doesn't seem to me like something natural. I mean, why would anypony would like to miss this scenery" he nodded at the heights, where the starts were starting to glow. "Its juts too precious to be left alone in the dark" He glanced back at Snap, who was looking at him with analytic eyes. "What?"

"Nothing" she excused as she passed him. "…Alien"

* * *

**Well, that was my first attempt on trying to embody a few of the mane six. There will be more for sure, and I expect to do a good job in depicting them in this story.**

**So, what did you think about this? Post me a review if you have something to say so I know wether I'm doing this the right way or not.**

**Ok, this is the end of the special message from the author, so please continue reading and enjoy!**

**Sincerely: SIMIO**


	6. Nightmares and weather

Tarak woke up in another dream. This time it wasn't the usual visions that normally unfold before him. This time he wasn't flying. Instead, and overwhelming sensation of fatigue took over him faster than his numb mind could wonder what was happening. He suddenly felt like if he'd been through a terrible ordeal, and when he looked to his state and the place where he was, with a good reason.

Everything around him was wrecked and misshapen. The land was littered with craters, so ravaged that it surely didn't resembled not even close to how it'd look before the catastrophe. Tarak was inside a full set of armor, which comprised mostly protection for the back and legs, and a hauberk underneath. He didn't realize his change of outfit until he tried to move and the heavy plates stopped him.

"What the…" he looked down to his battle suit.

The bright metal that covered him, that would look mirror polished in other time, was tainted with ashes, dirt, and some sort of black substance. His whole coat was soaked in perspiration, and his mane was messy as if he'd been through a typhoon of plunder. All of him was covered in the unmistaken signs of a melee.

He tried to find something in the distance, but nothing rather than mountains, equally wretched, came to the fore. He tried to gaze upwards, but the sky was darkened and nothing could be seen through the thick curtain of black clouds. The sun and stars were all hidden from that awful view.

Nothing but devastation showed around, and there was no way of telling what had happened, so Tarak started to walk, to see if something could make any sense of the scene he had been thrown into. Sadly, there were nothing in good shape enough to be recognized as what should it have look before. The scale of the devastation was so large that it seemed the whole world had been torn apart!

He hadn't started to walk for long when he came across the first pieces of darkness. And not just shadows or thick smoke, but darkness itself, concentrated into a single object of solid substance. The void itself crackling inside its misshapen form.

Tarak didn't know why, but suddenly, as soon as he made aye contact, an almost intoxicant feeling of repulsion took over him. His perception of the object started to appear repulsive, and its form turned offensive to sight. Like much other stuff he had been dreaming, he couldn't explain why does the object was generating his malaise, but he quickly left the place where it laid, at the bottom of its own impact crater. That thing had a smell of pure death.

Tarak continued to roam the wasteland, finding more and more artifacts like the one that he first encountered. He soon grew to despise them, because they were somehow unclean and corrupt, but he started to fear them too, for their mere scent was eviler than anything he'd even known, not speaking that he didn't want to know what would happen if he'd touch them. They were scattered around the scene, some in regular intervals, others more chaotically spread. After a while, he started to believe that those things were majorly the reason why the scenery would look so ravaged. It was like if those various forms of blackness were created specifically to generate a sensation of bleakness.

Subconsciously, a feeling that that moorland would never end started to nest within his thoughts. Tarak tried to shake it away, but after he climbed over the first hill he could find and saw the endless fields of pure darkened, battled, land, he started to seriously consider it as a truth. The hard fact that he had woke up in the middle of an apocalyptic landscape, and that he would never have the chance to walk away from there suddenly overwhelmed his already doubtful morale state.

Tarak could have cried at such devastating sight, but, instead, somehow, he continued to roam the battled field towards an indefinite point, although he had the feeling he was heading somewhere.

He had just left behind the top of the hill when a curious sight caught his eye. Inadvertently, the sky lightened in a distant point that was reflected even through the wall of clouds. At first he believed those were thunders, but after another light just sparkled right next to the first, he instinctually knew what he was witnessing: a skirmish.

More lights suddenly flickered, showing brief scenes of what was unfolding on the heights. Tarak accelerated the pace so that he could see better what were the silhouettes that were being revealed for a few seconds like. Somehow he got the idea that if he'd go faster to where he was supposed to he'd find out what was happening.

He hadn't covered a hundred meters like this when the first definite forms started to show. Gargantuan winged creatures started to appear at the shadow of the clouds. Things so large and with such ominous forms that the colt felt dizzy just to calculate their actual size.

From here to there an explosion of light harder than the rest would appear, and then a whole rain of pieces of darkness, shrouded in fire, would came down from the sky. Tarak quickened his pace even faster. He was almost galloping when the first meteorites started to fall around him. All the crashes of light were disperse, in most of the sky, but there was one point where all the fighting was focused. This spot, that he hadn't noticed before, was almost always lightened with a sizzling white that could foretell the awful state of the battle.

Tarak speeded up again, fully galloping towards the main fray. Now blackness and fire were raining around him as the creature's casualties aroused. Once in a while white brights would descend from the sky in the form of white fire and create a huge explosion as they hit the ground. The losses on both sides were increasing markedly the pace of the things that were falling from above, but Tarak pressed on through all the wreckage that were lashing the ground around him.

He was so near to that point… suddenly another explosion, even harder than the rest, burned the skies and turned the night in day for a couple seconds. Whiteness spread all over the dark clouds, and replaced them for a second with wave after wave of blinding light. Tarak felt in that instant the irrepressible necessity to look for cover. For a second it looked as if the whole roof of the world was going to fall!

Suddenly, like if the sky would be actually falling, something drop off from the heights, shrouded in light and darkness, so massive that it created a whole hurricane of fire after its path. The thing descended uncontrollably over the land, followed closely by a true storm of black and white meteors. Tarak watched everything with speechless amusement as the remains of the titanic clash rained near the main impact area of the gigantic artifact, that was still burning in darkness and light.

The merciless bombard of white and dark objects soon went ahead of the greater meteor and ravaged the land with a set of hits so deep and sustained that it created a considerable high scale tremor. Everything around the destined impact zone were swallowed by fire and shadow in less than a second. Tarak saw all this as he was trying to remain standing through the earthquake. He thought that there couldn't be anything stronger when the large object finally touched the ground… in that moment all that the colt could feel before waking up was a shockwave so powerful and massive, that it should have teared the very mountains off their foundations.

Suddenly Tarak's surroundings turned into darkness, and the smell of wet rocks popped into his nose. From one moment to other he related the sensation of flying again. At first he thought he was flying, but after a couple of seconds he realized that wasn't it. He was actually falling! A second later a wall of water came to receive him with its cold embrace. Only then he realized he had thrown himself into a well.

* * *

At the same time, in Cloudsdale...

The weather factory was supposed to be finishing the night shift. Night was almost over anyway, and the sun was waiting to rise through a horizon that could only be seen from such a high plane. The sky already had that black and crimson aura in the place where it touched the ground when the alarms started to sound. It was time to switch turns, and the work crew would be able to retire after a night full of chores.

Billy Dumbbell exited the industrial warehouse followed by the usual torrent of coworkers that were being checking out of work for another day, or night in this particular case. His legs were cramped and his wings weren't any better after a whole night of working, but the thought of his bed comforted him. The sun would rise at any moment, but still the sky was dark enough to have a comfortable sleep…

He was about to get to the nearest exit when something suddenly caught his eye, moving fast through his peripheral vision. First he believed it was nothing but morning breeze, but then the sound of flapping wings and wind being carried away refuted his ideas faster than the thing that, again, escaped his eyesight by just a millisecond. Whatever it was disappeared inside an industrial warehouse that was shut down, by judging the state of the lights inside it.

"Weird…" he muttered as he take away his safety helmet. "Did anypony see that?" he turned to his coworkers, but find himself alone.

In matter of seconds, all the disposable personnel had left the complex as fast as if they were the very wonderbolts! Billy gasped with frustration, subconsciously blaming himself for not doing the same thing, and walked to the place where he had seen the shadow slip away. It was already saturday morning, and he wasn't in the mood for any of the silly foal pranksters typical trespasses, that usually occurred during night.

It was infuriating! Somepony with clouddust in his brains would think that it was a great idea to hang out in the night into one of the closed warehouses with his gang, if they have any, or to be with their marefrineds in privacy, or just to be alone… Whichever was the case, Billy knew that if the overseers would find them, they would naturally blame him. He was at the plant after all, and the guards would obviously take that blame off their backs by corroborating that story. It happened to him before.

So Billy stepped at the entrance of the closed warehouse. The place was still dark inside though the exterior could be easily outlined. No part of the building presented the unmistaken signals of forced entry. When he approached to inspect the doors, he found the lock missing, and the chain removed. It meant only that either whoever the colt who had broke in was damn pro, with a full set of picklocks and that, or they've had internal assistance… what only made the situation worse for Billy, since he had been caught sneaking in colts for money before.

He got to his personal locker and pulled out of it a miner lamp, and an aluminum bat, both stored in case he had to face an intruder, or a zombie apocalypse. For the moment he felt a little glad he would have to use them for the first... Little did he know.

Anyway, Billy returned to the warehouse with all the equipment ready to dislodge the place.

"Alright, party's over!" he exclaimed as he stepped at the entrance again.

Nothing came out from the darkness. Only steady air and the ozone smell that usually use to be at the assembly line. Billy turned on the light switch, but nothing happened. The lights were dead. So he turned on his miner light and proceeded to inspect the inside. He expected anything, from frightened foals, embarrassingly trying to hide, to bigger punks, ready to jump over him in order to clear an escape route. Those cornered colts could turn very aggressive. He remembered how he almost broke a guard's arm when attempting to escape arrest, back in the day…

Something moved again, in the corner of his eye, and slipped out the flashlight's light beam.

"Come out so I can teach you a lesson!" he shouted as he leaped towards the point where he had seen the movement. His stalker had already gone away. He was about to swear when another thing catgut his attention: the sound of raindrop containers as they broke against the floor. "Gotcha!" he turned to where the raindrop containers were shelved. Again he couldn't fin anything rather than the missing tubes, that were in pieces in the floor.

Another noise caught Billy's attention, this time behind him. It was no other than the sound of something stepping on the assembly line and passing over it at full speed.

Billy turned again to where he'd heard the noise, but again nothing came to the fore rather than an empty place that were roamed just milliseconds before.

"C'me on guys, you don't want me to call security!" Billy exclaimed as he moved towards the assembly line. "Seriously, this is getting old!"

This time his message didn't go without response. A deep, gurgling sound arose from the darkness. It would seem like laughter if it weren't so distorted to pass as a succession of growls.

"Security…" whistled the air with the same malevolent tune.

"Yeah, yeah, really funny" mocked Billy, not buying anything. "Seriously, don't you know better than to scare other ponies? Quit fooling around, its saturday already…!"

Another sound rose up in the shadow. Billy immediately turned again to find something that made the blood run out of his face. It was a flashlight, with the crystal broken, but still in good shape enough to send a beam of light that illuminated clearly as day the material remains of what should have been the guards' equipment. Another demonic laughter broke through he air.

"Security…" spoke the voice again, as something climbed through the walls to the roof.

Billy felt a shiver climb his spine as he followed the movement with his lamp. Somehow he knew that running was useless as well as that there was no filly waiting for him up there...

Billy's light ray reached the end of the wall, and focused in a black mass that was lying attached to the roof, defying all physics laws. At first he didn't recognized it, but just after a second, the form of two monstrous paws showed up, clearly defined, before his eyes…

Billy didn't had time to run. Immediately after he made eye contact with the creature's mass, a flashing red light blinded him as he felt something hitting him in the front.

Billy flew against the opposite wall of the compound, crashing against the raindrop container shelves that he had left behind and shattering all of them as he lost his eyesight for a second. When he recovered conscience, all of him was soaked in mineralized water and broken glasses. He tried to stand up, but his limbs were stunned, so he couldn't keep valance. He forced himself to stand anyway, his very life in the stake for every second wasted.

The first hint he had from his attacker's position was the growl. Something breath in a sneering way behind him, and the next thing he knew was that he was staring face to face with two glowing red eyes. The monster growled again before pushing him against the shelves once more. Billy saw how one of the gigantic paws of the creature stepped on his miner lamp, breaking it as if it were nothing. The red eyes stared at him as the beast continue to advance towards him between growls.

"Wait!" plead Billy. "Wait! What do you want!?"

"Ponyville" said the monster with its growling voice, still advancing.

"This is not Ponyville. This is Cloudsdale! Cloudsdale!"

The creature suddenly stopped.

"Not Ponyville?"

"Yeah, dude, Ponyville is in the ground!"

"Liar!" roared the monster as it teared away the whole shelf behind him with a single swipe. The creature's maws approached so close into Billy's face that he could clearly smell its predator's breath. The smell of a certain death. "I don't believe you" said the creature with a threatening accent.

"No, I swear!" cried Billy. "A close friend of mine, Rainbow Dash, lives there, you should pay her a visit instead…"

The beast released a deafening roar of frustration, so loud that it shattered the windows of the warehouse, making a short rain of broken glass pieces. Billy didn't missed the opportunity, and galloped towards his bat while it was distracted. His weapon was behind the assembly line, where it ended when the creature tackled him. He was about to get over the assembly line when he felt the red eyes staring at him again.

The monster noticed how he had slip away, and roared again, announcing his attack. Billy galloped over the assembly line and for the bat. At his back, the creature was charging in his direction, shaking the floor beneath its feet as it sprinted at an amazing speed for its size. Billy was only two meters away from his bat, so he pressed his condition to the limit. He knew he had little time…

With a mental cheer of joy, Billy reached his metallic weapon with his mouth. He would have screamed triumphant if there wasn't for the fact that his pursuer had already jumped over the assembly line and was only seconds away from him.

There was no time to think. The monster reached behind the assembly line, and then leaped towards him with open jaws, ready to finish his prey with a single and powerful strike… Well, he wouldn't have it easy with Billy.

Hanging on to his bat as if it were his last hope for survival, which it really was, Billy waited for the monster to make its attack. Time seemed to slow down as the creature would close to the floor again, placing its forepaws around the colt and opening wide its cavernous mouth. Billy rose his bat and prepared to receive his attacker as if it were a high ball; even if his life would end now, at least he would have beaten the heck out of it first.

* * *

Later...

Sun rose from the horizon to mark the official beginning of a new day. The morning crew filled the weather factory facilities at the ring of the horn. Dozens of workers entered the place, reaching their respective stations as the new shift began. Nopony wondered what happened to the security guards or the closed warehouse until the dayshift ended.

By then he had recovered his strength from a whole day of resting from his small confrontation with the lesser life form that so foolishly had tried to keep him at bay. A red liquid was coming out of the corner of his lips, where the underdeveloped being had tried to hit him with a metallic object and thought it was a good idea.

Yeah, a good idea to make his incoming punishment even worse! He laughed quietly at the idea as he rose up to stretch his legs. Perhaps this world wasn't such a bad place to be. So many things to be wrecked, so many landscapes that were in perfect harmony and order… Who knows? Perhaps he could consider to extend his stay after all.

The alarms rang again, announcing a break for the shift workers. The courtyard of the factory soon filled with workers as they had brunch or performed other leisure activities. He watched all this as his patience grew shorter. He could have bursted into that courtyard, through the crowd and into freedom; with his power he could easily take on anything they had to throw at him, but his common sense warned him it was a bad idea.

Defeated, he spitted something that made a _metallic sound_ as it hit the floor and snuggled in one of the corners of the warehouse. He didn't care if he was found. That vermin wouldn't have more chances against him than the fool from that morning. Their time would come eventually anyway. It was just a matter of finding that what he was compelled to, and then he would bring back the rest of his kind to feast upon the destruction of that world.

Those dreams of sweet, pure, and endless devastation, like in the old days, filled his skull powered by the precious memories that he had just ripped off his victim's mind. That earthworm could have been a real pain to listen to, but at least he was telling the truth, not that he wouldn't gobbled him anyway, just to get a taste of his fear, but that didn't matter now. He knew beyond doubt where his objective was now, and nothing would stop him this time to get his revenge.


	7. Well poisoned

That morning in Ponyville...

It took about two hours for Tarak to find a way to climb the walls that surrounded him and start making his way out there. So, clanged to the edges of the well with his four limbs as if he were some kind of arachnid, the colt started to ascend towards the light. Tarak hadn't really tried climbing before, but he never realized how difficult it turned out to be until he was half way to the top. His coat had dried to that point, soaked now in sweat, and his white overcoat was bathed with it as well.

At times, it would turn too heavy to carry along. Tarak would have got rid of it like five meters ago if it weren't that something subconsciously prevented him every time to do so. Somehow he'd have to make it with that heavy silk piece on his back or don't make it out at all, what was funny, because he didn't remember to put it on before sleeping...

One of Tarak's hoofs slipped over a lose stone and nearly sent him down to the bottom with the small pebbles that the slide dropped. Tarak managed to reassure his position at the last second as he instantly regained his concentration, and got the shock of his life too.

If by that point he hadn't realized it, his nearly fatal accident became a good reminder: that was no the time to wonder in details. So, with a relief sigh, he released his mental stress and reaffirmed his position before continuing to press upward. Light was just a couple of meters away now.

Tarak sighed again, but with a more triumphant tune. The exit of that hole was at last at reach. His serenity, that had kept him focused without freaking out because of the narrow stonewalls around him, was between at the brink of joy and panic. He made the last part of the climb with his last reserves of strength and peered out with a sensation of delight.

Tarak suddenly head butted with a strange pony, that was just about to look down the well.

"EEHP!" complained the stranger in a soft tone as she laid back. It heard more like a surprise expression than a painful one, but her counterpart didn't seem to notice.

Tarak didn't felt the hit through his tiredness anyway, but the impulse of the smash nearly sent him down his way to the bottom.

"Sorry!" he said as the hanged to the edge of the stone bannister with his life.

The mare was about to respond when she noticed how precarious his situation was. "Oh, my goodness…!"

"What? I didn't hit you too hard, did I?"

"No, not that!" she stood up. "What were you doing there?" she asked while pulling him out, since his body didn't seem to have strength to move anymore. "Are you okay?"

"Well, I've surely been better…" he smiled as he tried to stand up. His legs failed at doing it, so he just looked up to the pony who had helped him. She was a beautiful mare with a grayish rose maine, and the same tone in gold with her coat. "I'm Tarak, nice to meet you" he introduced himself. "What's your name?"

The mare evaded his glance with an instinctually movement, something between shyness and the disengagement she still had. "I'm Fluttershy" she muttered.

"Nice to meet you, Fluttershy" he smiled friendly. "And thanks for the rescue!"

"You're welcome" she smiled back. "But, forgive my imprudence, what were you doing down there?"

Tarak was about to respond when a voice exclaimed in the distance.

"Tarak! There you are!" Snap appeared in the distance. She looked as if she had been running through the whole town. "Where were you? I've been looking for you EVERYWHERE!" the filly screamed and panted at the same time. "How did you get here? And when did you put this on?" she was about to ask again when spotted Fluttershy. "Sorry if he disturbed you, miss. He's not from… around"

"Oh, that's not a problem" answered the alluded. "He was just thanking me"

"Thank you? For what?"

"For getting me out of there" Tarak pointed at the well.

Snap suddenly turned confused. "What? How did it happened?"

"Well, I was down there when she looked inside. I think the rest is obvious" he shrugged.

Snap turned even more confused. "And why would you look inside there?" she asked Fluttershy.

"Oh, well, its to make sure there aren't any monsters inside" she answered with bashfulness.

"Makes sense" Tarak nodded.

Snap confusion immediately turned into disengagement. "Alright, I'll pretend nopony said anything… Anyway, what were you doing in a well?"

"Now, thats… something hard to explain…"

"Never mind, you'll tell me later. We need to go, now, or we'll be late for our appointments!"

"Oh, right!" Tarak snapped and turned to Fluttershy again. "Have a good morning, and thank you again for the rescue!" he galloped away with Snap closely behind him.

"You're welcome, again" said goodbye Fhuttershy as she got on her way to the well again and started to pull the handle to drag the water.

With the pail of water that came from below Flutershy was able to fill a couple of buckets for her critters, and a watering can that she had left aside when she encountered the stranger. She didn't wonder about him more than a minute or two, because, after all, it wasn't normal to find somepony stuck inside a well… She forgot about it in about five minutes later, taking it as an unfortunate event that had happened to her precisely.

Fluttershy was on her way to her cottage when suddenly she crossed with a vision that made her heart shrink for a second. At the side of the road was a beautiful and rare flower terribly damaged for what could have been a cart wheel. Its stem was broken and its petals were sink into mud, spoiling their precious natural color. It could have been a beautiful plant if there wasn't because of the carelessness of somepony who surely didn't had the same concept of beauty. In any case Fluttershy couldn't help herself but feeling compelled to aid that poor thing in its suffering.

She couldn't take it with her nor if she wanted to, so she just sprinkled it with a bit of water from her watering can and moved its broken stem out of the road before continuing her way.

She already had too many critters sick at home to look at. Although there was no bad cases, they all presented the unmistaken symptoms of poisoning. She would have to speak with Twilight about it, because all the poor animals have got the sickness right after drinking from the pluvial system that happened to be the main source of water to Ponyville, and although she had her doubts, there was something funny about the water that feed the pipe system lately.

It was a sour taste, unlike anything she had known yet, that something so large as an adult Pony wouldn't notice, but obviously had a devastating effect in small fauna. That was the main reason why she gathered water from the well, and she would talk with Twilight as soon as she got back to her home and took care of some of the poor ill things.

Fluttershy continued her way as thoughts like these roamed her head. She pondered so much in the problem that she didn't notice the flower she had sprinkled moments ago was now fully regrown, completely repaired as a white aura slowly faded around its otherwise broken shape…

* * *

**I know, this chapter is kinda short, but the original thing was getting too big, and its been a while since I last updated something. So, there you go, part 1 out of 3, I hope. Anyway, I'll be submitting the rest one of these days, but for the moment just enjoy.**

**Sincerely: SIMIO**


	8. Bad apple trees

Meanwhile...

"…And that was it" Tarak finished his story as the two of them returned to the cart. "I don't know how did I end up inside that thing, but whatever it was I'm sure it has to do with my dream"

"Interesting…" muttered Snap as she climbed to the front seat. "And how can you tell?"

"What?" Tarak pulled the harness over his back.

"Your dream. That it had something to do with you being thrown into a well"

"Oh, that… I don't know" he shrugged and began to pull. "It's just a hunch"

"Well, you've been having a lot of hunches lately. It better not become a custom, because its starting to be weird"

"Hey, I can't help it! These have been coming and going ever since we're here. If I had to bet, I'd say something is gonna happen in this town very soon…"

"And there you go again, turning mysterious" she sighed. "On the one hoof, it should be a good sign for your memory, you know, because of your recall and all. On the other, this is seriously starting to get old... And by the way, didn't you noticed something weird about that mare you just met?"

"Like what?"

"Like she had, dunno, wings?"

"She had wings?" he amazed.

"Yeah, doesn't it look strange to you?"

"Hmm… No. Curiously, no"

"But you were all freaked because of that other mare's horn! And now you show no interest for pegasus? How is that?"

"Well, for instance, I never said I find it normal. Just not so weird as having that thing in your head… a horn. It just seems more common to me"

Snap snorted. "Bah! First you scare, then you don't. Who knows when it comes to you… Next thing we know is that you're growing wings!"

Tarak laughed. "That's something I'd like to see"

They continue chattering about anything special as Tarak pulled the cart away from Ponyville, although he noticed they were going out of town he never asked where they were going. He had enough trouble focusing in keeping the conversation and pulling the wagon through his physical exhaustion. He wasn't really paying attention to anything else but walking forward and answering the filly's talks until they reached their first destination.

"Here we are!" exclaimed Snap jumping off the cart. "Sweet Apple Acres, our first stop!" she walked across the entrance and turned to Tarak. "Follow me"

Tarak moved the wagon and headed after the filly. Snap led the way through a dirt road that went straight between two gigantic orchards of apple trees.

Most of the trees were as tall as an average house and had already red fruits hanging from their branches. Their leaves distorted the light into thousands shadows of green, and all that added to a blue sky where clouds roamed gracefully gave a peaceful and lively look to the background.

Tarak studied his surroundings with an introspective look. His face was again a portrait of wonderment, and he took his time to inspect every single detail of the place before speaking. "Looks like… home" he muttered, astonished.

"Its because they're farmers too" Snap giggled.

"Then why would they need us?" he asked without taking away his long glance at everything. "Aren't they the same as us?"

"Well, they are in the apple business, so it means that although they harvest food, they don't have the same as we do"

"…So we exchange crops?"

"Now you're getting it" she smiled. "See? Perhaps you can be smart too, after all"

"Yeah, right, you..." he grabbed her by the neck and messed up her mane.

"Let go!" she giggled as she got away from the headlock. "Come on, we're almost there!"

They walked the road until they entered a cleared space. There were several buildings including what Tarak could recognize as a barn and a house, both painted mainly in red. Indeed it looked like home, but that didn't impress him as much as looking from where he stood at the hectares and hectares of growing apple trees. So many that they could even be seen over hills and valleys as if they'd cover the whole world! So much life around him… And Tarak used to think that the Labour's property was big.

"Wow…" he mumbled with his eyes wide open. "Its just… wow…"

"Yeah, yeah, don't get too used to it, we gotta keep moving!" Snap pushed him along.

Snap pushed Tarak towards the main building, and stopped when they came at a prudent distance from the place. Tarak didn't matter about it. For him it could be Snap or a furious minotaur, but he would feel like being carried away gracefully. Snap, meanwhile, had her own trouble focusing in pushing the colt to notice something strange in her surroundings until they were at a prudent distance from the main building. Just then she realized that something was different in the scenario.

Unlike the other times, she had been there, there wasn't any movement near the place or between the endless woods of apple trees. Everything was still and quiet, as if all animals in the place had left for no apparent reason. In a closer look she could notice that all the windows and doors were closed, and probably locked. It seemed like everypony was gone.

"Hello?" she called, but received no answer. She walked towards the front entrance, and tried to open it, but, indeed, it was well locked. "Where is everypony?" she muttered, stepping back from the door. "Something's not right here. What do you think, Tarak?" she turned. "Tarak?"

The colt was still dumbstruck, marveled with the glorious sight around him.

"Ugh, why do I even bother…" she sighed and began to walk towards the house. "Hello?" she knocked again, harder. "Anypony home?"

"Hello?" suddenly appeared an old mare from the inside, making Snap to scream in surprise. "How can ah help you?" continued the lime green mare as if nothing happened.

"Ehm… Hi, miss… Apple...?" Snap regained her nerve.

"Don't ah know you?" she interrupted her. "'Cause ya should know we'r not for buying anything"

"I'm Snap, Hard Labour's daughter" she puzzled. "Don't you remember me?"

"Who?"

"Hard Labour!" she raised her voice. "We own a property at the other end of the Everfee forest!"

Granny Smith turned even more confused.

"Why would you want me to rest?" she asked. "Its too sweet of you, but ah've had enough for today, thank you"

Snap sighed, starting to loose her temper.

"HARD LABOUR!" she shouted. "I'M HARD LABOUR'S DAUGHTER, AND I'M HERE FOR THE FAMR BUSINESS!"

"Oh, Snap!" she opened the door completely. "Wha didn't ya said so in the first place?"

Snap facehoofed herself in frustration, but at least the hard part was over.

"Come in, sugarcube, we were waiting for you" Granny Smith invited her to come in.

"Thank you, but we're falling behind schedule, sorry. It'll have to be in another time"

"Don't worry, ah get it" she walked away, leaving Snap, who had just spoke in a normal voice, completely baffled. Granny Smith didn't seem to notice, anyway. She went to a trap door and knocked on it. "Applejack, sugar, the Labours are here!"

"Yah, am comin!'" answered a voice from inside.

"Thank you, miss Smith" said Snap as she came over.

"Ye'r very welcome, sugarcube" answered the alluded. "Its the least we can do for you family. Your father've helped us too much back in the day"

"Really? He did?" Snap eyes lit up with excitement.

"Oh, yah. Did he ever told you that when he was a younger colt he and your grandfather saved us from the timberwolves?"

"He and my grandpa? NO WAY!"

"Of course! But they weren't farmers back then. And he had a different name… what was it…?" Granny Smith was trying to remember when Applejack's head appeared from the inside of the cellar.

"Ya were calling?" she said as she came outside of the basement.

"Hi, Applejack" greeted Snap "I'm here for the usual"

"Yah, ah know" she went back into the vault. "Ye Labours truly are aces-high in this scope, so we've round up some of our finest for ye"

"Oh, you didn't have to…" Snap waved away modestly.

"Nonsense" she pushed out some barrels with an apple fire brand on their side. "This we wanna do it for ye, since ye've always helped us out during rough times" she suddenly looked around, as if she were trying to find something. "And, by the way, wasn't supposed that yer father would be with ya?"

"Oh, no, he had… something… to do back home. So, they sent me with him to make it for this month" she pointed at where Tarak was supposed to be, but found him standing right behind her instead.

"Did you call me?" he asked.

Snap turned again to Applejack. "This is Tarak. He's staying at our farm"

"Well, howdy there, pleasure to meet ya!" Applejack energetically shook Tarak's hoof. "Ah like you to know yer working for one of the most altruistic, trustworthy, and hard working families this apple bucker has ever known… of course, right after us folks" she giggled that last part.

"Gee, thank you…! I guess" said Tarak as he stepped back, still shaking his own hoof.

"Well, its been a pleasure making business with you, as always" resumed Snap. "I think we'll leave you on your chores and be on our way now"

"And why, don't ya stay for some brunch?" invited Applejack. "C'me on, its mah treat!"

Tarak's face lighted up immediately, since he hadn't ate anything the whole day. He surely was about to accept when Snap intervened.

"Sorry, really! But we got a tight agenda today" she answered as she pushed him back to the cart, much to his disappointment. "Maybe tomorrow, when we are not in such a rush, okay?"

"Ah hear ya" Applejack answered with slight disappointment in her eyes. "Sorry for closin' up everything like this, but Appleboom's got an ill. She won't be comin' out in a long time, and if that weren't bad enough, lately we had to... _cash in_ some of ar trees in order to get rid of bad product. Its nothin' to worry 'bout yet, but to be honest, ah think this stuff that's been poisoning apples its just gettin' started…"

"I'm sorry to hear that…" said Tarak comfortingly as he pulled he harness around his back. "It must be tough for you"

"Don't worry, we've handled ourselves through thicker" she assured. "We'll get through this, partner"

"Okay, take care then" Snap said goodbye as she pointed Tarak to advance. "And I hope you solve your problem with the trees!" she finished out loud before entering the road.

* * *

"Its a shame they have so much trouble" said Tarak when they left behind the last apple trees. "They look like good ponies"

"They are" Snap answered, looking at the trees as they were falling behind. "But we can't do anything to help them at the moment, so they'll have to solve it by themselves… In other matters, we better keep up the pace if we want to finish our duties by the end of the day"

That phrase made Tarak's stomach grumble. He looked upon the road as a hunger arose inside him. A void sensation that begun to suck his empty belly towards itself. He had walked with the wagon in his back for at least an entire hour to get over there, and he didn't see Ponyville getting any closer from where they stood. And they were way outside the town.

"So many things to do and without food…" he complained with a sigh, seeing ho long the road to Ponyville really was.

"Now, now, hungry colt, we'll eat when we're finished" Snap patted him comfortingly. "But for now we need to keep moving"

"Fine" he sighed in defeat. "But when we're done you'll owe me something big"

"Seems legit" she shrugged.

"Its a deal then!"

Snap smiled rascally. "I'll even let you choose what you wanna eat"

Tarak smiled back as he started to advance. "Done!"

The promise of gratification made his pace begin to gain speed. His own version of rascally smile remained on his face as he started to trot, and then entered in full gallop. The cart behind him started to accelerate with him. Tarak made sure to get back to Ponyville as fast as possible. His physical tiredness could wait a little longer. The big prize of his desired meal was awaiting for him, and it was all that mattered… The colt moved faster and faster, as fast as his adrenaline allowed him to. Somehow he saw fit to waste that much energy so early, but sadly, he forgot to ask how many chores were left to do in the day.


End file.
